Pine Island Almost Pulls Off Upset

Pine Island head coach Craig Anderson has seen a lot of high school baseball games in his 526-win coaching career.

He knows after the close losses you can always point to one or two plays that make the difference.

The top ranked and top seed Class AA Belle Plaine Tigers escaped Thursday with a 1-0 win in their first state baseball tournament game.

Pine Island went to state in 1991, '92 and '93.

Anderson has already announced this is his last coaching season and he will stick around as the activities cirector for Pine Island.

Belle Plaine scored their only run while collecting their only hits in the first inning.

Pine Island ace Matt Lien gave up a lead-off single to Jon Vinkemeier and then got a ground out and pop out before he fell behind 3-1 to cleanup hitter Nathan Herman.

The Tiger junior third baseman clubbed an RBI double and that is all the scoring they would need.

Pine Island had their chances to tie or take the lead.

In the top of the fourth with one out, No. 3 hitter Aaron Gillard singled on a 1-2 count.

With a 1-1 count, Anderson put on a hit and run and it worked to perfection, with the second baseman going to cover the bag and junior Brady Braaten smacked a single to right field.

However, Gillard stopped at second base and probably should have been at third.

Junior Braden Aakre flew out to left field and that might have scored the tying run from third. Senior Bryce Henrichsen had a seven-pitch at bat but grounded out to end the inning.

Lien just got tougher.

The senior did walk four batters but never gave up another hit while striking out four and throwing 92 pitches, 68 for strikes.

Belle Plaine's ace, junior Brody Curtiss, allowed just three hits and struck out seven while walking two.

The Panthers had another golden opportunity go awry thanks to baseball being a game of inches.

In the sixth inning, junior designated hitter Drew Lohmeyer started with a walk and the fellow he was hitting for, junior shortstop Jacob Navratil went in to run.

Navratil leads the team in stolen bases. Everybody in the park was anticipating a bunt by Lien to get Navratil into scoring position. It wasn't needed because the Tigers tried to sneak the second baseman behind Navratil to pick him off at first with the first baseman charging hard down the line. The Belle Plaine catcher threw the ball into right field and Navratil was at second base.

What happened next is what makes baseball so frustrating sometimes.

I thought Anderson might still bunt to get Navratil at third base with possibly one out but  with the heart of the order coming up Lien smashed a 1-1 pitch very hard but right at the pitcher who simply spun and got Navratil trying to get back to the bag.

Belle Plaine advances to the semifinals and will play the Irish of Maple Lake.

Their catcher Jack Siebert hit the first pitch he saw in the sixth inning over the left field wall and the Irish defeated the Proctor Rails 1-0.

Pine Island (18-8) plays Proctor (18-6) at 10AM Friday and it will be on KDHL.

On the other side of the bracket, No. 2 seed Minnehaha Academy rolled past East Grand Forks 7-2 and No. 3 seed Pierz crushed Paynesville Area 13-0 in five innings.

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The biggest upset of the opening day had to be No. 2 seed Northfield losing 3-1 to a Henry Sibley team coming to the State Class AAA Tournament with a 12-15 record.

The Big Nine Conference champions play at 2:30PM Friday on KDHL if Pine Island loses their morning game.

If the Panthers win, they play for the consolation championship on KDHL and the Northfield game would be on Power 96, 95.9 FM.

In other Class AAA games, top seed Mahtomedi dominated New Ulm 13-3 in five innings and Little Falls beat Rocori, Cold Spring 7-2.

No. 3 seed Benilde St. Margaret's blanked North Branch 8-0.

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Lakeville North captured a thrilling 2-1 win over Maple Grove in 13 innings and will play top seed Wayzata at noon at CHS Field in St. Paul.

The Trojans beat the Eden Prairie Eagles 10-5.

On the other side of the Class AAAA bracket, Woodbury blanked Burnsville 7-0 and No. 3 seed Champlin Park bested Blaine 6-2.

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In Class A, top seed Parkers Prairie edged Badger/Greenbush-Middle River 3-2 and Hinckley-Finlayson got by Legacy Christian Academy of Andover 4-3 in eight innings.

The other side of the bracket, No. 2 seed Springfield defeated Lewiston-Altura 12-2 in five innings.

Adrian upset No. 3 seed Ely 1-0.

Class A is in Chaska and Jordan.

Class AA in St. Cloud.

Class  AAA in Minneapolis at University of Minnesota and University of Northwestern.

Class AAAA is playing at CHS Field and Minnetonka High School.