The Kenyon-Wanamingo Knights had a 6-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth inning in Pine Island tonight.  The Panthers scored 7 runs over the next 6 innings to win 8-7 in 10 innings.  Both teams had two pitchers throw.

Typically in baseball a lot of walks results in runs but you could cue up the Twilight Zone music for this game because Pine Island had 7 batters walk and not one scored.  Kenyon-Wanamingo earned 10 walks with 2 of them crossing home plate.  That's right a combined 17 walks, 2 scored.

Senior Colin Sviggum started for the Knights.  Sophomore Kaleb Johnson went the first five innings for the Panthers.  Sviggum threw 99 pitches in his 5 innings of work with 7 strikeouts, 5 walks, a hit batter and 5 hits allowed.  When he left the game the score was K-W 6 Pine Island 4.

Kenyon-Wanamingo opened the scoring in the second inning when Cole Flom started the inning with a single to right field.  During a strikeout looking of the next batter Flom stole second base.  Another out was recorded before freshman shortstop Trevor Steberg laced a 1-0 pitch to right field scoring Flom.  Steberg stole second base and went to third when the throw went into center field then scored on a wild pitch.

Sophomore catcher Tyler Craig started the 3rd inning with a perfectly executed bunt between the pitching mound and third base. Cleanup hitter Garrett Grove was walked.  A wild pitch during the Grove at bat allowed Hilke to advance to third base.  Hilke scored when Flom connected for the second time in as many trips.

With two outs in the bottom of the third inning Panthers #3 hitter Carter Drazan ended Flom's no hit bid with a single.  Cleanup hitter Dylan Las was walked.  Drazan scored on a wild pitch.  Pine Island sophomore catcher Graham Majerus had the first of three hits he he would tally.  Following a walk to load the bases Sviggum collected his sixth strikeout to end the inning.

The Knights would respond with two more runs in the top of the 4th inning when the #8 and #9 batters reached base.  Steberg started the inning with a single, stole second base.  Gavin Sommer followed with a bunt single fielded by Panther pitcher Johnson who fielded the ball and briefly looked Steberg back to second before looking to throw to first but there was nobody there to cover the bag.  Johnson caught Steberg to far off third base to record the first out of the inning.

Sommer stole second was wild pitched to third and home for the first run of the inning.  Knights center fielder Erlandson was walked on four pitches.  Following the second out Hilke clubbed an RBI single.  He stole second base and went to third on a wild pitch before the inning ended.  It was K-W 6  Pine Island 1.

The Panthers bats would awaken in the bottom of the fifth inning when nine men went to the plate in Sviggum's final inning of work.  The inning started with an error allowing third baseman Cole Uhde to reach base.  Right Fielder Carter Drazan had a seeing eye single on the first pitch he saw in the inning.  A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third base.  Cleanup hitter Dylan Las smacked a full count pitch for a double to score two runs.  Majerus had a RBI single.  There was another error followed by a hit batsman.  #9 hitter Trevor Horton grounded out to score a run.

When the fifth inning ended it was 6-5 Kenyon-Wanamingo.  Johnson was lifted by Pine Island after five innings throwing 101 pitches, 45 strikes with 3 strikeouts, 6 walks, 7 hits allowed.  Drazan came on in relief to start the sixth and opened with a walk of the #8 batter Steberg.  The freshman Knights shortstop stole second base, went to third base on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out.  It would be Kenyon-Wanamingo's final run of the game.

Steberg took the mound in the sixth inning and threw 23 pitches, 9 strikes.  He worked himself into and out of a jam with no damage thanks to a little luck.  A walk started the inning before Drazan connected for his third hit in a row on an infield single.  Las crushed a ball right to Erlandson in center and Uhde was doubled off second for a double play.  Drazan stole second base to get into scoring position but following a walk Steberg was able to record a strikeout end the inning with no runs scored.  It was 7-5 Knights going into the final inning.

The Knights top of the 7th started with a walk of Hilke.  Grove hit into a double play and Flom was retired.

In the bottom of the 7th Pine Island center fielder Jacob Shurz had an infield single.  Left fielder Dan Krier also had a dribbler for a base hit.  Horton was retired with the runners advancing to second and third.  The Panthers were back to the top of the order.  Johnny Bauer popped out and they were down to their last out.  Uhde worked the count full meaning they were down to their last strike when he jumped on a high fast ball to knock in two runs and tie the game sending it into extra innings.

Drazan settled in allowing just one hit in the five innings he pitched.  In the bottom of the 10th inning Uhde led the inning with a double. Drazan was intentionally walked then Las smacked a ball to the fence scoring Uhde and Pine Island finished the incredible comeback victory 8-7.  Steberg finished the game throwin 64 pitches over the last five innings with 1 strikeout, 3 walks, one intentional and 7 hits allowed.  36 of his pitches were strikes.

Kenyon-Wanamingo had two runners thrown out at home trying to score on suicide squeeze plays.  Each time the batter was not able to execute the bunt and that's why it's called a suicide.

Our Held Bus Service Knights of the game were Owen Hilke, Cole Flom and Trevor Steberg.  Hilke was on base all 5 times he came to the plate with two hits, a double, two RBI, two stolen bases and a run scored.  Flom was on base 3 of his five trips to the plate with two hits, an RBI, two stolen bases and a run scored.  Steberg flashed some leather at shortstop and was on base three of his four times at the plate with two hits, two runs scored, three stolen bases.

The Knights finished the game with 12 stolen bases.  Pine Island had 2.

Line totals finished like this:

Pine Island 8 runs, 11 hits, 2 errors, 14 runners left on base, 9 in scoring position

Kenyon-Wanamingo 7 runs, 9 hits, 2 errors, 6 runners left, 5 in scoring position

Pine Island is now 3-9 and travels to Stewartville Monday for a doubleheader, hosts Lourdes Tuesday and entertains Lake City Friday.

The Knights play at Triton Monday, resume a weather delayed game at Byron Wednesday before hosting New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Friday.

Lights Available in Pine Island. Their first scheduled game under the lights is Friday, May 10. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
Lights Available in Pine Island. Their first scheduled game under the lights is Friday, May 10. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
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