AMATEUR BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Jensen Ks 9 in 2-hit complete game, Cubs win 2-0

WINDOM — The pitching from Mitchell Jensen was the story of the day Sunday when the Worthington Cubs took on the Windom Pirates in First Nite League amateur baseball action.

Jensen struck out nine batters in seven innings en route to the 2-0 win over the Pirates.

“We’re just trying to get out there to compete and have fun,” Jensen said. “I threw a lot of fastballs aiming at corners today.”

Adam Munkel, who struck out 16 last Sunday, and Jensen, have both pitched for Minnesota West’s baseball team and know the game well.

“It is incredible that Wasmund has given us this opportunity,” Jensen said. “It is awesome that Worthington has a team.”

Jensen struck out all three in the first and third innings, as well as one in the fourth and two in the sixth.

“Jensen threw a fantastic game,” Jim Johnson, manager of the Pirates, said. “If he and Munkel keep throwing like that, they will go a long way in this league.”

The only time that Jensen was ever in trouble was in the bottom of the second inning. Jensen got the first out of the inning on a grounder and then the Pirates (1-2) came alive.

Brett Mattson had a single in the hole between third base and shortstop. Charlie Dunnick reached on a fielding error by Jerrad Meinders. Jensen got Tyler Knutson to fly out to center field with no runners advancing. Then Trent Anderson worked a walk to load the bases.

Pirates Chad Lindaman came up with the bases loaded, but a Jensen fastball retired Lindaman on a grounder to shortstop.

The Cubs had a number of chances to extend their lead, but failed to capitalize. In the first inning, the Cubs had the bags full, but could only push one run across. Then, again, in the fourth inning, the Cubs had the bags loaded and ended up grounding out to the pitcher to end the inning.

Finally, in the sixth inning, the Cubs had the bags loaded again thanks to a single by Joe Joswiak, a walk and an error from the Pirates. The Cubs proceeded to hit a pop-up to first base to end the inning.

Worthington got on the board early after a walk and two men were hit by pitches to load the bags for Meinders, who drove in Joey Kinley on a groundout to the shortstop.

Jensen’s pitching kept the Pirates from scoring the entire game. The Cubs took advantage in the sixth inning by adding one more run thanks to a throwing error by the Pirates.

The Cubs coach and first baseman, Josh Wasmund, had nothing but good things to say after the game, with the Cubs now moving to 2-0 on the season.

“A win is a win,” Wasmund said. “Jensen is young but still knows how to play baseball. A two-hit shutout will win most games.”

Jensen had help from both his infield and outfield on Sunday. But it doesn’t hurt to have errors on the other side of the ball.

The Pirates had three errors coming in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

And the only costly mistake for the Pirates was made in the sixth, which pushed across the second Cubs’ run.

Anderson had a throwing mistake off of a single by Kinley, which allowed catcher Joswiak to score for the second and final run.

Acrobatic plays were made at multiple times during the game by both teams.

In the bottom of the fourth, Kinley fell back off of second base into shallow right field and caught a pop fly, as he tumbled onto his back. Then in the top of the seventh inning, the Cubs’ Munkel raced for first against Knutson (pitcher) who threw from his back and ended up getting Munkel out by inches.

“It is a mental (game),” Johnson said. “So if you have the mental game, you can control the game.”

The Cubs can be seen in action Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Worthington when they face Tracy. And the Pirates can be seen playing Wednesday, as they host Fox Lake.

R H E

Cubs 100 001 0 — 2 3 0

Pirates 000 000 0 — 0 2 3

Lakefield 4, Windom 2

WINDOM — Lakefield knocked off Windom in First Nite League amateur baseball action Sunday without scoring an earned run.

Windom had eight errors on the day and Bryce Christopher was nearly untouchable on the mound for Lakefield, striking out six, walking two and giving up one earned run on three hits.

Cody Johnson struck out 10 and gave up just one hit in five innings for Windom. Chad Lindaman was 1-for-3 with a double and Tyler Knutson was 1-for-3 with an RBI single.

R H E

Lakefield 000 001 3 — 4 2 1

Windom 100 100 0 — 2 3 8

Adrian 2, Milroy 1

ADRIAN — The Adrian Athletics won a close one over the Milroy Irish in Gopher League amateur baseball action.

Taylor Klingenborg pitched eight innings gave up no earned runs struck out seven and gave up three hits for the A’s.

Jeff Gacke went 3-4 on the day. Glen Kruger and Levi Bullerman had a hit, and Jason Stubbe hit a double for the A’s (1-1).

Zach Dingmann came in for the A’s and got the save.

Next, Adrian will play on Wednesday at Sioux Falls.

R H E

Milroy 000 000 001 — 1 4 2

Adrian 000 020 00X — 2 7 1

Heron Lake 6, Hadley 2

HADLEY — Alex Meyer twirled 6 2/3 solid innings to lead Heron Lake to its first win of the season Sunday evening, as the Lakers claimed a 6-2 victory over the Hadley Buttermakers in the second game of an amateur baseball doubleheader.

Meyer (four strikeouts, two walks) scattered five hits and took a shutout into the seventh, and Thomas Albrecht came in for the save after Hadley scored two runs and loaded the bases with two outs. With the potential tying run at the plate, Albrecht recorded a strikeout on the only batter he faced to end the game.

Octavio Jimenez was 2-for-3 to lead Heron Lake offensively, while Lucas Knutson (RBI), Ben Scheevel and Ethan Duffy each smacked a base hit for the Lakers.

Derek Platt and Zach Bruns both collected a pair of hits and drove in a run for Hadley, while Kyle DeLong had the Buttermakers’ only other hit with a single.

Heron Lake (1-3 overall, 1-1 in the First Nite League) hosts Tracy and Windom next Sunday, while Hadley (0-3 overall and in the Gopher League) visits Pipestone Wednesday.

R H E

HL 130 020 0 — 6 5 2

Hadley 000 000 2 — 2 5 4

Luverne 7, Hadley 3

HADLEY — Jared Pick, Brian Beuning, Mickey Sehr and Connor Fitzer each had two hits Sunday afternoon, leading the Luverne Redbirds to a 7-3 victory over the Hadley Buttermakers in a Gopher League amateur baseball game.

Caleb Bruynes pitched five-plus innings and earned the win for Luverne, while Beuning hurled the final two frames and recorded the save.

Jamie Boelter pitched four innings for Hadley, while Alex Van’t Hof and Justin Reinsma came on in relief for the Buttermakers.

Alex Petersen and Joe Larson (double) both had two hits for Hadley, while Zach Bruns cracked a two-run single in the second inning.

R H E

Luverne 003 010 3 — 7 12 0

Hadley 020 001 0 — 3 6 2

Tags: amateur baseball, sports, baseball, worthington, windom