Severe ‘run drought’ hits Mudhens hard
Minneota’s drive to stay on top of the league in the Land O’ Ducks feel apart last week when, like the sun baking the parched summer crops, the Mudhens entered a “run drought”.
They dropped a 3-1 game to league-leading Morris on Wednesday and were defeated by the Chokio Coyotes, 6-0 on Saturday. “Danny pitched a strong game, but we gave up three runs in the first inning,”
Manager Tyson Sonnenburg said about Danny Hennen’s domination of Eagle hitters after the first inning. Morris used a pair of singles and a walk to produce the runs. Mac Bever doubled to knock in two of those runs. Even though Hennen gave up just three more hits the rest of the way, the Mudhens couldn’t find enough resources to break through the run drought.
They finally scored in the eighth when Henry Pesch came home on a single by Brock Buysse. Then, on Saturday, the drought continued. Chokio hurler Nick Hervin tossed a shutout at Minneota, allowing the Mudhens five hits. Both teams tossed the ball around to the tune of four errors each. Henry Pesch pitched well for Minneota, trailing just 3-0 after seven.
But a couple of Mudhen errors in the ninth caused the game to unravel quickly. That, and the lack of scoring for Minneota, resulted in an 0-2 week. Adam Durfee had three hits in the two games — but it wasn’t enough. WEDNESDAY NIGHT’s game at home against the Montevideo Spartans was important because the Mudhens don’t have many chances to get on a roll before the playoffs.
On Sunday they play at 3 p.m. at Cottonwood against the Cardinals, then return home for a 7:30 p.m. makeup game with the Madison Mallards.
That will conclude the regular season.
Morris 3, Minneota 1
MINNEOTA (AB-R-H-RBI) Beau Buysse, c 4-0-2-0; Thomas Fischer, p 0-0-0-0; Jordan Beck, 1b 4-0-1-0; Tyson Sonnenburg, cf 4-0-0-0; Adam Durfee, ss 4-0-2-0; Jesse Drager, 2b 4-0-1-0; Ryan Koopman, 0-0-0-0; Austin Buysse, 3b 4-0-1-0; Henry Pesch, lf 3-1-0-0; Danny Hennen, 0-0-0-0; Preston Nuy, dh 3-0-0-0; Brock Buysse, rf 3-0-2-1. Totals 33-1-9-1. MORRIS (AB-R-H-RBI) Bryce Jergerson, ss 4-1-1-0; Kirby Marquardt, c 3-1-0-0; Mac Bever, 3b 4-1-1-2; Tyler Henrichs, rf 3-0-0-1; Toby Sayles, rf 1-0-0-0; Tanner Picht, cf 3-0-0-0; Eric Asche, 2b 3-0-1-0; Ryan Bever, dh 1-0-0-0; Mitch Torgerson, p 0-0-0-0; Mitch Carbert, 1b 3-0-0-0; Noah Grove, lf 3-0-1-0. Totals 38-3-4-3. Score by Innings: Minneota 000 000 010 — 1 9 1 Morris 300 000 00x — 3 4 0 E-Minneota: Beck. LOB-Minneota 5; Morris 5. SB-Minneota: Durfee, Pesch. SAC-Morris: Ryan Beyer. DP-6-4-3 (1); 5-4-3 (2). 2B-Morris: Mac Beyer. Pitching IP R ER H BB K Minneota Hennen (L) 8 3 3 4 2 4 Fischer 1 0 0 0 0 1 Morris Torgerson (W) 9 1 1 9 0 8 PB-Buysse 2.
Chokio 6, Minneota 0
MINNEOTA (AB-R-H-RBI) Beau Buysse, 2b 4-0-1-0; Jordan Beck, lf 4-0-0-0; Tyson Sonnenburg, cf 4-0-2-0; Adam Durfee, ss 3-0-1-0; Jesse Drager, c 4-0-0-0; Austin Buysse, 3b 3-0-1-0; Cal Swedzinski, ph 1-0-0-0; Henry Pesch, p 2-0-0-0; Preston Nuy, ph 1-0-0-0; Danny Hennen, 1b, 3-0-0-0; Drew Fadness, ph 1-0-0-0; Brock Buysse, rf 3-0-0-0. Totals 33-0-5-0. CHOKIO (AB-R-H-RBI) Alex Erickson, ss 4-1-1-1; Jeremy Westerman, 3b 4-0-2-0; Chandler Erickson, c 4-2-1-1; Nick Hervin, p 4-2-2-1; Dylan McCalip, rf 5-0-1-1; Mitch Daly, 1b 5-0-0-0; Tom Holland, cf 4-0-1-0; Taylor McCalip, lf 3-0-0-0; Justin Daly, 2b 3-2-1-0. Totals 36-6-9-4. Score by Innings: Chokio 000 020 013 — 6 9 4 Minneota 000 000 000 — 0 5 4 E-Minneota: Durfee 2; Hennen; Pesch, Beau Buysse; Chokio: Erickson 3; Hervin. LOB-Minneota: 8; Chokio: 11. SB-Chokio: Hervin. SAC-Chokio: Ericksen. 2B-Minneota: Durfee; Chokio: Dylan McCalip. Pitching IP R ER H BB K Minneota Henry Pesch (L) 9 6 3 9 5 6 Chokio Hervin (W) 9 0 0 5 5 6