Vikings drop two; playoffs start Saturday

Minneota dropped a pair of games last week to two strong programs, losing 11-4 to Wabasso and 5-1 to Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg.
The Vikings begin section playoffs on Saturday, May 29.

Result May 20
KMS 5, Minneota 1
KMS, ranked No. 2 in Class A, scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning and hung on for a 5-1 win over the Vikings.
"We played much better than the outcome of the game," said coach Keven Larson. "We played with them until late in the game."
Wylie Lottman limited the Vikings for four hits and one run over the first six innings for the win.
Braeden Panka started on the hill for Minneota and held the Fighting Saints in check until they got to him in the fifth inning. Two of the runs scored off Panka were unearned. He finished by allowing only three hits in four-plus innings, while walking four and striking out one. Jacob Hennen relieved and stymied KMS on only four hits and one run over the final three innings. He walked none and struck out four.
AJ Myhre continued to swing a hot bat, going 2-for-3. Ben Skorczewski, Isaac Pohlen and Jonah Gruenes had one hit each for the Vikings.
"KMS is a solid team and we took a lot of good things away from the game," Larson said.
"We played a very strong game against a high-caliber team," said coach J.D. Pesch. "We played a very tight game with very few mistakes and this is the type of baseball we will have to play throughout sections."

KMS...................................000 040 1 - 5 7 1
Minneota............................000 010 0 - 1 5 1

Minneota hitting: Ben Skorczewski 1-for-4; Josh Schuelke 0-for-3; Jacob Hennen 0-for-1; AJ Myhre 2-for-3; Carter Schuelke 0-for-2; Braeden Panka 0-for-2; Isaac Pohlen 1-for-3; Jonah Gruenes 1-for-3; Cooper VanOverbeke 0-for-2, run

Minneota (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Braeden Panka (L) 4-3-4-2-4-1, Jacob Hennen 3-4-1-1-0-4

Result May 17
Wabasso 11, Minneota 4
AJ Myhre swatted solo homers in the fourth and sixth innings, but it wasn't enough as the Vikings fell to Wabasso.
Carter Benz struck out 10 batters in going the distance on a six-hitter for the Rabbits. Benz also had three hits and drove in three runs, including a two-run homer.
"We ran into a hot pitcher," said coach Keven Larson. "He had us stymied the whole game. We just need to fine tune a few things both offensively and defensively."
Wabasso collected 15 hits off two Minneota pitchers. Ty Altermatt went 4-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Will Carlson also had three hits.
For the Vikings, Myhre finished 2-for-4. Braeden Panka went 2-for-3 with a double. Ben Skorczewski and Jacob Hennen had the other hits. Isaac Pohlen drove in a run on a groundout.

Wabasso.............................103 302 2 - 11 15 2
Minneota............................000 202 0 - 4 6 4

Minneota hitting: Ben Skorczewski 1-for-3, 2b; Josh Schuelke 0-for-4; Jacob Hennen 1-for-3; AJ Myhre 2-for-4, 2 solo HR, 2 runs, 2 rbi; Carter Schuelke 0-for-3, run; Braeden Panka 2-for-3, run, 3b; Isaac Pohlen 0-for-3, rbi; Jonah Gruenes 0-for-3; Cooper VanOverbeke 0-for-3

Minneota (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): AJ Myhre (L) 5 2/3-13-0-7-2-4, Josh Schuelke 1 1/3-2-2-2-2-0