Mudhens fall to Dawson in playoff opener

Minneota's defense wasn't sharp as the Mudhens committed five errors and succumbed to the Dawson Drakes 9-2 in the first round of the Region 9C double-elimination playoffs on Saturday in Ortonville.
Minneota will face Morris at noon on Saturday in an elimination game in Madison.
The Mudhens jumped out to a 1-0 against Dawson starter Braxton Thompson when Jake Leighton singled and was erased at second on Austin Buysse's groundball. The relay throw to first was wild and Buysse reached second. Tyson Sonnenburg then singled to score Buysse.
Dawson scored single runs in the second, third and fourth innings, then added two more runs in the fifth for a 5-1 lead it would not relinquish.
"We gave them free bases off our errors, and they capitalized on our mistakes every time," said Sonnenburg.
AJ Myhre tossed the first five innings for the Mudhens. He allowed eight hits and five runs, two earned, while walking two and striking out four. Zach Nuy pitched the final four innings, giving up five hits and four runs.
Minneota's only other run came in the ninth inning. With two outs, Brad Liebfried singled, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on Austin Buysse's single.
"We couldn't get anything going offensively," said Sonnenburg, who had two of the Mudhens' eight hits. "We had many hard-hit balls, but they seemed to always find the glove of the Drakes players. Unfortunately, that's how the game goes sometimes."

Dawson 9, Minneota 2
Dawson......................................011 120 022 - 9 13 3
Minneota...................................100 000 001 - 2 8 5

Minneota hitting: Austin DeVlaeminck 1-for-4; Peyton Gillund 0-for-1; Jake Leighton 1-for-4, run; Brad Liebfried 1-for-1; Austin Buysse 1-for-4, rbi; Tyson Sonnenburg 2-for-5, rbi; Alex Pohlen 0-for-4; Danny Hennen 1-for-3; Preston Nuy 0-for-3; AJ Myhre 1-for-4; Brock Buysse 0-for-3; Tate Walerius 0-for-1

Minneota pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): AJ Myhre (L) 5-8-5-2-2-4, Zach Nuy 4-5-4-4-1-2