Vikings taking deep run into the playoffs

Yes, Dawson-Boyd kicked the ball around so much you'd have thought this was a hacky sack game.

Alex Swenson, Blackjack pitcher, threw well enough to win up to the point where he took a come-backer on the hand — then later had to leave because of too many pitches thrown (high school rule is 115 pitches).

In the end, a long fly ball to centerfield by Jacob Hennen with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh won the Section 3A Losers Bracket game for the Vikings, 5-4.

But the way they won, with D-B committing six to nine errors, depending on who you believed, wasn't important.

What was, and is, remains the fact the Minneota Vikings have now gone deep into the playoffs,  and have a 3-1 playoff record — and have lived to play another day.

And that's what's so important to Coach Keven Larson.

"This team just keeps doing the little things it takes to win. We haven't gone this deep into the playoffs in a long, long time," he said.

Minneota next plays Lac qui Parle Valley, a 14-3 winner, eliminating Russell-Tyler-Ruthton from the playoffs.

"This is a team that just doesn't quit. Even when they are down, they keep battling and coming back," said Coach Larson.

Minneota got just five legitimate hits, but used a bevy of errors, walks, sacrifices and stolen bases to get the job done.

Teddy Pesch, who was Minneota's third and winning pitcher, singled in a run in the first. Alex Pohlen singled in another in the third.

But Dawson-Boyd got a big two-run single from Nick Thompson in the sixth inning during a three-run rally and they took a 4-2 lead.

But the Blackjacks played hot-potato in the sixth and dropped the ball five times — as if it was on fire. Minneota tied lthe game at 4-4 to set up the seventh inning dramatics.

Pinch runner Tate Walerius waltzed home with the winning run after Hennen's mammouth fly to center.

Thomas Hennen, who is 8-11, batting .730 in the Section Tournament, had two hits and scored two runs for the Vikings. Pesch also added a pair of hits.

"We knew this wouldn't be like the last game with Swenson on the mound," said Coach Larson, talking about a 30-9 Viking blowout of Dawson-Boyd earlier in the year.

But, as they've done all year to the tune of a 15-5 record, they found a way to win.

They now play at 2 p.m. Saturday at Milroy against The Eagles. The winner is in the loser's bracket championship for a chance to advance to the finals. Wabasso and Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg are the two teams still in the winner's bracket.

Dawson-Boyd      001 003 0 — 4 7 9

Minneota             101 002 1 — 5 5 1

PITCHING: Minneota: Sam Buysse, Jacob Hennen (4), Teddy Pesch (6). WP-Pesch.

D-B: Alex Swenson, Austin Schmitt (7). LP-Swenson.

HITTING: Minneota-Thomas Hennen 2-3, 2 runs; stolen base; Tedsy Pesch 2-4, RBI; Alex Pohlen 1-4, RBI.

Dawson-Boyd: Nick Thompson 1-4, 2 RBI; Kolton Lindblad 2 runs; Keaton Schuelke 2-3, SB.