GAYLORD -- Derrick Jenniges remained perfect on the hill this summer and the Windom Pirates were eliminated from the state amateur baseball tournament Friday evening, as the Lamberton Long Sox -- behind another sparkling pitching performance by Jenniges -- defeated the Pirates, 3-1.
Playing in the second round of the 32-team Class C tournament, the Long Sox (27-9) were aided by 11 walks from two Windom pitchers as they scored a run in the bottom of the fourth inning and then crossed the plate twice in the sixth to open a 3-0 lead.
The Pirates, who finish the campaign with a 19-9 record, rallied with a single run in the top of the eighth inning. But despite stroking eight hits in the game, Windom could not push across any more runs.
Jenniges, the head baseball and boys' basketball coach at Westbrook-Walnut Grove, pitched his second state tournament victory and improved his season's pitching record to a perfect 12-0.
While scattering eight hits, Jenniges did not give up a walk (he did hit one batter), while striking out six.
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Jared Pick, who was drafted from the Luverne Redbirds, after the Pirates won the Region 13C championship, pitched five and two-thirds innings for Windom.
He was tagged for all three runs -- two earned -- on four hits and eight walks. Pick struck out four batters.
Kirby Johnson twirled the final two and one-third innings for the Pirates. He struck out two and walked three, while allowing a pair of hits.
Lamberton catcher Andy Cook scored the game's first run in the fourth inning after leading the frame off with a walk.
Cook advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jenniges. Two batters later, center fielder Don Strand (2-for-5) drove in Cook with an RBI single.
In the sixth, Cook again led off with a walk, but was forced out at second on a fielder's choice by Jenniges.
Designated hitter Tyler Reiner -- who played for Minnesota West in the 2007 state junior college baseball tournament -- reached on a fielder's choice, forcing out Jenniges.
But with two outs, Lamberton right fielder John Pistulka (2-for-3) singled, advancing Reiner to second.
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Johnson replaced Pick on the mound for the Pirates after that and Strand's single loaded the bases.
Reiner then scored on a passed ball as both Pistulka and Strand advanced a base. Long Sox second baseman Isaac Jenniges drew a walk to re-load the bases.
Lamberton third baseman Colby Pack then drew an RBI walk, scoring Pistulka for a 3-0 Long Sox lead.
Windom scored in the eighth when center fielder Brett Dumke (2-for-4) smacked a one-out double and scored on designated hitter Brad Schlomann's RBI single.
Jenniges worked out of the jam by getting a flyout and a strikeout. He then retired the Pirates in order in the top of the ninth.
Windom, which left six men on base in the game, had a chance to score in the top of the fifth, as both catcher Bryce Grove (2-for-3) and second baseman Sam Fischenich singled. But with runners on second and third (Fischenich stole second), Jenniges worked a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.
Kody Johnson and Kirby Johnson had Windom's other two hits, while Matt Samyn added a hit to Lamberton's six-hit attack.
The Long Sox continue as one of eight teams advancing to the double-elimination round and will play Winsted at 11 a.m. Sunday in Gaylord.
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