By John George
The Eagle baseball team pulled off the kind of upset that can propel a team into a long postseason run. Behind complete game from Drew Schultz, NY Mills beat No. 10-A Bertha-Hewitt at Jacobson Field last Thursday, 4-1.
Schultz had B-H (12-4, 11-2 Park Region) shutout through six innings. He scattered four hits and walked seven, while striking out six to pick up his third win. The Bears took advantage of a lead-off walk in the top of the seventh combined with a hit and an error to score their only run.
Mills got on the board in the first hen Jason Burg after leading off the game with a walk and stolen base. Tyler Wegscheid walked and eventually scored the second run in the bottom of the second.
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The Eagles added to their lead in the third when Mike Baune drove in Jeremy Hagen. Wegscheid scored his second run of the game in the sixth to give Mills a 4-0 lead.
Jordan Vaughan was the only Eagle hitter with more than one hit, going 2-for-2 with a sacrifice. Hagen and Mike Baune were each 1-for-4 with a RBI.
The Eagles will finish their regular season today (May 24) by hosting Menahga. First-pitch will be 4:30 p.m.
Mills will be looking for the season sweep after they beat the Braves on May 1, 9-2. The two teams are jockeying for position in the Section 6A East Tournament, which starts next week. The Eagles would secure at least a No. 3 seed with a win against Menahga.
Bertha-Hewitt and No. 12-A Sebeka are likely the No. 1-2 seeds with Menahga and Parkers Prairie the No. 4-5 seeds in the east sub-section. No. 1-A Wheaton/Herman-Norcross and Ashby are the top teams in the west sub-section.
Mills has been a streaky team this season. After a 1-3 start, they won six-of-seven, before losing three straight heading into the win over B-H.
"The key for us, as with all teams, is to be playing our best ball at the end of May when playoffs begin," head coach Chris Bushinger said. "I feel this year the sub-section and section are up for grabs. There are a lot of teams that could be representing our section in the State Tournament."
TUESDAY UPDATE
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Mills baseball wins at OTC
A four-run eighth inning led the Eagle baseball team to a 9-5 win at Otter Tail Central.
New York Mills 9, Otter Tail Central 5
R- H- E
NYM 2-0-0-2-0-1-0-4-- 9-11- 0
OTC 1-0-0-4-0-0-0-0-- 5- 9- 0
Eagles-- Jason Burg 3-4, SAC, 2 3B, 2 R; Alex Helmeke 2-5, 2B, SAC, R; Jeremy Hagen 2-5, HR, 2 R; Wade Salo 2-5; Cory Perala 1-4, 2 R; Jordan Vaughan 1-4, 2 R.
Pitching IP R ER H SO BB
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Vaughan 4 5 5 9 3 1
Brendan Frost (2-1) 4 0 0 0 8 3
Thursday, May 17
New York Mills 4, Bertha-Hewitt 1
R- H- E
B-H 0-0-0-0-0-0-1-- 1- 4- 1
NYM 1-1-1-0-0-1-x-- 4- 7- 2
Eagles--Jason Burg 0-2, 2 BB, SB, R; Alex Helmeke 1-4; Jeremy Hagen 1-4, R, RBI; Drew Schultz 1-3, BB; Mike Baune 1-4, RBI; Cavin Berube 0-2, BB; Tyler Wegscheid 1-2, BB, 2 R; Jordan Vaughan 2-2, SAC.
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Pitching IP R ER H SO BB
Schultz (3-0) 7 1 1 4 6 7
Park Region Conf. All
Bertha-Hewitt 12-2 15-4
Sebeka 10-3 13-6
New York Mills 7-5 8-7
Menahga 5-7 7-10
Parkers Prairie 5-7 6-9
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Pillager 5-8 5-9
Otter Tail Central 4-8 5-10
Verndale 2-10 3-12
