Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com
Published - Sunday, June 29, 2008
Legion baseball: LeJetz tumble in 10th
For nine innings, the Winona LeJetz and Mahtomedi American Legion baseball teams were locked in a pitchers’ duel.
In seven innings, Winona’s Ryan Speltz — who pitches for Minnesota-Duluth — struck out eight and gave up just two hits.
For Mahtomedi, starter Andy Fagely — who will pitch for Winona State next year — struck out four and gave
up just five hits over 82/3 innings.
It was a 1-1 game through 10 innings when a string of three-consecutive singles and two passed balls led to three Mahtomedi runs, and an eventual 4-2 win to cap off the first round of games at the Winona Legion Baseball Classic.
“It was a classic pitchers’ duel through the first eight or nine innings,” Winona coach Gary Hoeppner said. “Both starting pitchers pitched great games, but neither of them get the decision.”
The outcome was tough on the LeJetz (6-4), as three of the four runs given up could have been avoided.
Along with the two passed balls with runners on third base in the 10th, Mahtomedi’s lone run in the second was the result of mistakes.
Speltz hit Trevor Burns with one out in that inning. Burns then went to second base on a passed ball, made
it to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Winona error.
“We have a few things we need to clean up,” Hoeppner said.
Speltz settled after that, striking out the side in the third and getting 13 of the next 14 batters in order.
Winona nearly won the game in the ninth with the potential winning run on third and two outs,
but Trevor Semann struck out after a seven-pitch at-bat.
Mahtomedi (13-6) followed in the 10th with three singles by John Stockton, Sean Bethke and Sam Fagely.
Stockton got to second on a fielding error after his hit, and scored on Sam Fagely’s single.
Bethke and Sam Fagely both scored from third on passed balls.
“That’s just the way it goes sometimes,” Shawn Laplante said.
Jake Wanek had an RBI single in the third for Winona, while Speltz nailed an RBI triple in the 10th.
All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 Winona Daily News and other attributed sources.