Pioneers advance in Subsection 1B baseball

ST. CLOUD-- The Pierz Pioneers pitcher Dan Saehr helped his own cause with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate including a two RBI single in the sixth inning. That hit gave the Pioneers the lead and Pierz went on to post a 6-5 win over the Holdingford Huskers in Sub Section 18 Section 6AA Semifinals Tuesday.

Along with Saehr's two RBI in the sixth inning, the Pioneers scored on a suicide squeeze by Alex Gruber and a RBI single from Scott Fischer who was 2-for-2.

Jeff Riley was 1-3 with two RBI and a run scored. His Pioneers teammate T.J. Watercott was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

The Huskers rallied for a run in the bottom of the seventh inning but stranded runners at the corners as the contest ended.

The Huskers Gary Meier was 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored. Nick Bialka was 1-for-2 with a double and two walks.

Pierz 000 024 0--6 9 6

Holdingford 030 010 1--5 7 3

Pierz -- Dan Saehr and Luke Solinger; Holdingford -- Noah Klug, Paul Otte (6) and Jim Muehlbauer. WP -- Saehr. LP -- Klug. Conference -- Pierz 6-8. Overall -- Pierz 8-9. Next game -- Pierz vs. St Cloud Cathedral/Foley winner at Faber Field in St. Cloud, 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Royalton 1, Pillager 0

HINCKLEY -- In what turned out to be a classic pitcher's battle, the Royalton Royals defeated the Pillager Huskies 1-0 in the Semifinals of North Subsection 5A at Hinckley Tuesday.

Jeff Eastman threw for the Huskies and faced just 22 batters. He struck out seven, gave up one walk, four hits, and one run.

The Royals' run came in the bottom of the third with two outs as their number nine batter smacked a high inside fastball over the fence.

The Huskies finished their 2001 baseball season with an overall record of 6-15.

"We have our whole team coming back next year," said Pillager coach Jerry Fornshell," and we're looking forward to it big time."

Pillager 000 000 0 -- 0 1 2

Royalton 001 000 0 -- 1 4 0

Pillager -- Jeff Eastman and Eric Fornshell; Royalton -- Gohl and Wenner (#11). WP -- Gohl. LP -- Eastman. HR -- Wenner (#17). Overall -- 6-15

Bertha-Hewitt 4, Verndale 2

BERTHA --The fourth seeded Bertha-Hewitt Bears scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and added one more in the bottom of the sixth to defeat the fifth seeded Verndale Pirates 4-2 in East Subsection 6A play Tuesday.

Chad Christianson went 2-for-3 and drove in both runs for the Pirates who finished their season with a record of 9-1 overall.

Verndale 000 002 0 -- 2 2 4

Bertha-Hewitt 000 031 x -- 4 10 2

Verndale-- Chad Christianson and Lance Edin Bertha-Hewitt -- Andy Kirscht and Jeremy Wilhelmi WP --Kirscht. LP --Christianson. Overall --V, 9-9-1. Next game --Season complete.

Wadena-Deer Creek 4, Sebeka 3

MINNEAPOLIS --Matt Sweere of Wadena-Deer Creek went 3-for-4 and singled in the winning run in the top of the seventh inning to lead the Wolverines past the Sebeka Trojans 4-3 in a baseball game played at the Metrodome on Friday night.

Tyler Currie picked up the win on the mound in relief of starter Matt Schiller as the Wolverines improved to 10-7 overall.

Wadena-Deer Creek 000 100 3 -- 4 9 2

Sebeka 003 000 0 -- 3 3 2

Wadena-Deer Creek-- Matt Schiller, Tyler Currie (6) and Leland Brincefield Sebeka -- Meteer, Kirk (3), Meech (6) and Cardini WP --Currie. LP --Meech. Overall --W-DC 10-7.