Cannon Falls Legion Season Ends in Lonsdale

Cannon Falls had a 1-0 lead going into the final inning Saturday against Norwood and saw Post 343 connect for eight hits and score a 7-1 win.

Quinton Lindow started the game and had a no-hitter through the first three innings and only allowed three hits going into the sixth. Head coach Randy Hartl told KDHL following the game it appeared Lindow was tiring and was lifted after giving up a lead-off single in the sixth and issuing his fourth walk. Lindow tallied one strike out and also hit a batter.

He gave way to Carter Dombeck in the sixth with runners at first and second, nobody out and Cannon Falls clinging to a 1-0 lead. Dombeck coaxed a ground out and then third baseman Jason Traynor was playing on the edge of the grass and made a fine scoop of a grounder and fired to get the runner going on contact at home. There were then runners at the corners with two outs. The runner at first left the base with Dombeck throwing to second baseman Lindow, who came home and the runner got back to third but the runner at first was too far off yet and catcher Garrett Beach threw him out to end the inning.

Cannon Falls used two pitchers in the seventh but couldn't stop the onslaught with the 7-8-9 hitters due up in the order. The No. 7 hitter started the inning with a single, then the eighth hitter singled and during the ninth hitter's at-bat the runner at second was picked off by Beach. The No. 9 hitter connected for a single to put runners at first and second again and a passed ball allowed the lead runner to go to third, placing runners at the corners with one out, still a double-play away from a win. The top of the order continued the hit parade with a double followed by a single off Dombeck. Lefty Hunter Reinardy was brought in. An error and three more hits and Norwood was feeling pretty good about going to the bottom of the seventh. Reinardy registered strikeouts of the Nos. 7 and 8 hitters in the batting order. Norwood had 11 men come to the plate and connect on eight hits in the inning.

Cannon Falls did have nine hits in the game, but none in the seventh inning. They had a golden opportunity to put a crooked number on the board in the fifth inning. Jonathon Sharot connected on an RBI single and courtesy runner Carter Reber was thrown out trying to come home. He was not able to get close to the plate. A Cannon Falls runner also got picked off at second base in the inning. Sharot led the fourth inning with a double but was thrown out for the second out while trying to get to third base on what amounted to a swinging bunt by Beach.

Cannon Falls ended the game stranding eight runners on the bases, two of them in scoring position. Norwood had six runners left and four in scoring position. Isaac Hormann got the win for Norwood, going the distance and throwing 84 pitches.

While Cannon Falls and Norwood were playing, Jordan downed Belle Plaine in the winner's bracket 6-2. In the other Lonsdale game, Montgomery bested Sibley East 2-0 in a very well pitched outing by Trevor Smisek. The lefty fanned 11 batters and walked four while scattering four hits and throwing 129 pitches, 76 of them for strikes.

The first game in Montgomery in the evening was a 10-7 win for Norwood over Belle Plaine, and then Jordan remained unbeaten by defeating Montgomery 5-3. Montgomery had a 2-1 and 3-2 lead in the game, but Jordan was not to be denied.

The championship will be played between Norwood and Jordan with the first game at 5:30 Sunday evening in Montgomery and, if necessary, a second game would follow.