Vikings sneak past Lakeview in playoff opener

“Do your job,” yelled Minneota Coach Keven Larson. Trailing 2-1 in the fourth, the Vikings needed someone to step up.
Senior Austin Sorensen was the one. He sliced a long hit to left field that bounced off the fence for a double and pitcher Landon Rolbiecki and Jaymes Moon scored for a 3-2 lead that would hold up in the Section 3A playoff opener over Lakeview.
“I just did what Coach Larson wanted — to do my job,” said Sorensen.
When he watched the ball take off from his bat, “I thought it was a popup (and would be caught). But when he saw it slice away from the outfielder, “I just kept running.”
Sorensen’s blast was just one of three the Vikings managed off Lakeview hurdler Noah Jensen. Fortunately, one of those came before Sorensen’s blast — a single by Teddy Pesch. And Lakeview gave the Vikings just the help they needed with a pair of infield errors.
That was all pitchers Landon Rolbiecki and Teddy Pesch needed. Rolbiecki went five innings and fanned three, allowing just three hits. And Pesch cleaned up without allowing a hit. He fanned. Rolbiecki got the win and Pesch the save.
“We’re used to seeing pitchers with more speed,” said Sorenson. Jensen used his variety of pitches but doesn’t have a blazing fastball in his repertoire.
The Vikings also good some “splendid” play from shortstop Thomas Hennen. In the third inning he killed a rally when he picked up a ball hit by Jensen, stepped on second and threw to first to nip Zach Mueller for a double play.
Then in the fifth he made two putouts and snuffed a rally in the sixth with a toss to AJ Myhre at second to stop Lakeview.
The win puts Minneota into the third game today at Minneota (about 3:30 p.m.) against the winner of the Murray County Central vs. Wabasso game.
Win or lose in the second game, the Vikings will now advance to the Section 3A double elimination tournament Tuesday at Milroy.
Minneota is now 10-5 on the year and Lakeview ended their playoff hopes with a 2-7 record.

MINNEOTA (AB-R-H-RBI) Thomas Hennen, ss 3  0 0 0; Sam Buysse, cf 2 1 1 0; Teddy Pesch, 2b-p 3 0 1 1; Landon Rolbiecki, p-lf 3 0 0 0 0; Tate Walerius, cr-ph 1 1 0 0; Jaymes Moon, lf-c 3 1 0 0; Austin Sorensen,1 b 2 0 1 1; Josh Laleman, 3b 1 0 0 0; Cole Sanow, rf 2 0 0 0; Grady Moorse, dh 2 0 0 0; AJ Myhre, 2b 1 0 0 0; Carter Schuelke, c 0 0 0 0. Totals 22 3 3 2.
LAKEVIEW (AB-R-H-RBI) Brock Kvistad, c 4 0 0 0; Tyler Imes, ss 3 0 0 0; Noah Jensen, p 3 0 0 0; Zach Mueller, 3b 1 0 0 0; Grant Sander, lf 3 1 1 0; Cody Caron, lf  2 0 0 0; Alex Ross-Bahn, 2b 3 1 0 0; Brennin Aguirre, 1b 3 0 1 1; Aaron Leinemann, cf 3 0 1 1. Totals 25 2 3 2.
Score by Innings
Lakeview         020 000 0 — 2 3 3
Minneota         000 300 x — 3 3 1
E-Minneota: Moon; Lakeview: Imes, Kvistad, Mueller. LOB-Minneota: 6; Lakeview: 5. SB-Minneota: Buysse, Rolbiecki. DP-Minneota 6-3 (3). 2B-Minneota: Sorensen.
Pitching                 IP    R    ER    H    BB    K
Minneota
Rolbiecki (W)        5      2    0       3      2      3
Pesch (S)             2      0    0       0      1      2
Lakeview
Jensen (L)            6      3    0      3       4      4
HP-Mueller (by Pesch).