SLP fans, player ejected during wild game against Chisago Lakes

Spring Lake Park 12, Chisago Lakes 8
The fans got their money’s worth when the Wildcats hosted Spring Lake Park last Thursday, May 16 at Chisago Lakes High School. They saw 20 runs, 20 hits, five lead changes and three ejections. Unfortunately, the last lead change saw the Panthers score five runs in the top of the sixth to overcome an 8-7 deficit and beat the Wildcats 12-8. The excitement started in the top of the first inning. Ryan Flink singled to drive in a run for the Panthers. One out later, catcher Joe Davis fired a ball down to first to pick off Flink. Flink moved toward second and became caught in a rundown. First baseman Kellen Reed threw down to second baseman Louis Kastenbauer. Flink raced back toward first.

Starting pitcher Hunter Lindstrom was in the baseline. Just as Lindstrom caught the throw from Kastenbauer, Flink plowed into Lindstrom. He then appeared to blast Lindstrom in the head with both arms. Flink was called out and thrown out of the game. Lindstrom stayed in the game. Will Gillach was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the first. Matt Hasselquist singled to center and, one out later, Mark Sontag was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Mitch Berg’s grounder to short forced Sontag at second. The relay throw to first was wild, and two runs scored on the play to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead. Davis and Kastenbauer followed with a pair of doubles to drive in two more runs, and the Wildcats led 4-1 after one.

In the top of the second, Spring Lake Park scored twice to cut the Wildcat lead to 4-3. With the bases loaded and two outs, Dylan Magnuson came in to relieve Lindstrom and struck out Eric Curren to end the Panther threat. In the bottom of the inning, Will Gillach singled with one out and scored on Matt Hasselquist’s line drive double to left to push the Wildcat lead to 5-3. But the Panthers came right back with three runs of their own in the top of the third and added one more in the fourth to take a 7-5 lead. The generous Spring Lake Park defense helped the Wildcats out in the bottom of the fourth. Kastenbauer, now pitching for the Wildcats, led off the inning with a single and was replaced by courtesy runner Miles Turk. One out later, Jake Sandgren grounded to third and the third baseman threw wildly to first. Turk scored on the play and Sandgren reached second.

Gillach hit a line drive to right that got past the right fielder for an error. Sandgren scored and Gillach also came all the way around to score to give the Wildcats an 8-7 lead. After Kastenbauer struck out Rowe to lead off the top of the sixth, things got ugly. The home plate umpire immediately swung around, pointed at a Spring Lake Park fan and ejected him for swearing. The fan and those around him protested and the ump ejected another fan. The ump then approached Spring Lake Park head coach Josh Mason and asked him to calm down his team’s fans. Mason complied, order was restored and the game resumed. Unfortunately, the confrontation did not seem to have a positive effect on the Wildcats.

The Panthers took advantage of three walks, a hit batter and a Wildcat error in the inning, needing just two hits to score five runs and take a 12-8 lead. The Wildcat bats fell silent in the sixth and seventh innings, cementing the Spring Lake Park win.

Chisago Lakes 8, Fridley 3
Kellen Reed homered and Will Gillach and Matt Hasselquist drove in two runs apiece to help the Wildcats cruise to an 8-3 win over the Fridley Tigers last Friday, May 17 at Fridley. Wildcat starting pitcher Colton Mueller allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits, walked four and struck out ten in four innings of work to pick up the win. Will Gillach and Dylan Magnuson each threw a scoreless inning in relief of Mueller, with Gillach striking out all three batters he faced. Gillach led off the game with a single to and, one out later, scored on Hasselquist’s double. Kellen Reed singled to move Hasselquist to third. Reed stole second and Hasselquist scored on the catcher’s errant throw, giving the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. In the top of the second,

Jake Sandgren reached base on a bunt single with one out. Miles Turk followed with a single to right and Gillach was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Joe Davis hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Sandgren and moving Turk to third. Gillach stole second. Hasselquist singled to left to drive in Turk. Reed reached on an error by the shortstop, and Gillach scored on the play to give the Wildcats a 5-0 lead. The Tigers had cut the Wildcat lead to 5-3 entering the top of the fifth. Leading off the inning, Reed blasted an 0-2 pitch over the center field wall for a home run to increase the Wildcat lead to 6-3. Two outs later, Magnuson singled to center, Sandgren laid down another bunt single and Turk was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Gillach stepped up to the plate and drilled an 0-2 pitch to left for a double, scoring Magnuson and Sandgren. Lindstrom was hit by a pitch to re-load the bases, but Hasselquist grounded out to end the inning. The Tigers threatened in the fifth when Mueller walked the bases loaded but, with two outs, struck out the next batter to end the threat. Two innings later, the Wildcat had their fourth win of the season.

Mahtomedi 5, Chisago Lakes 0
The Wildcats managed just four hits, all singles, in losing to the Mahtomedi Zephyrs 5-0 last Saturday, May 18 at Chisago Lakes. Jake Sandgren singled twice for the Wildcats in the loss. The Zephyrs entered the top of the fifth leading 1-0. Wildcat starter Hunter Lindstrom retired the first two batters on groundouts. But he walked the next two hitters. The next batter doubled to drive in one run, chasing Lindstrom from the game. Dylan Magnuson came in to strike out Jackson Hull to limit the damage. But the Wildcat bats stayed silent as Mahtomedi added two more runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to come away with the win.

The Wildcats (4-8) will finish the regular season tonight with a doubleheader against Cambridge-Isanti at Cambridge starting at 4:30 p.m. The section playoffs will start next Monday, May 27, with the Wildcats’ opponent, location (likely away) and game time to be determined. Check out mshsl.org later this week for more information.