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Chisago Lakes 8, North Branch 3

Trailing 3-1 after four innings, the Chisago Lakes Wildcat baseball team scored seven runs in the final three innings to beat the North Branch Vikings 8-3 on Tuesday, April 15 at North Branch High School.  Lucas Weinzetl started and picked up the win for the Wildcats, allowing three runs – two earned – on four hits.  He walked seven and struck out seven.  Lucas Goggin started for the Vikings.  Ethan Thorsen pitched just 2/3 of an inning but took the loss for the Vikings.

  In the bottom of the first, Goggin walked with two outs.  Carter Drill hit a ball to right field.  The ball got by right fielder Chuck Gilman and Goggin scored all the way from first.  With one out in the top of the second, Wildcat Trenton Travis reached on an error.  Xander Breitenbach’s single to center moved Travis to third, and Travis scored on a single by Brayden Anderson to tie the game at 1-1.  With two outs in the bottom of the third, Weinzetl walked Ben Herges and Goggin.  Drill followed with a triple to score both runners, and the Vikings led 3-1.

With one out, Cole Stilp was hit by a pitch and Weinzetl singled to left.  Gilman singled to right to score Stilp and courtesy runner Nathan Wehrenberg, tying the game at 3-3.  A couple of Viking defensive miscues helped the Wildcats score three runs in the sixth.  Breitenbach reached on an error to lead off the inning.  Breitenbach stole second and went to third when Jadon Greene reached first on a dropped third strike.  Kellen Meissner and Cole Stilp each singled to drive in a run. Weinzetl drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to make the score 6-3.  Travis walked in the top of the seventh.  Two outs later, Brayden Anderson singled to move Carson Drury, who had replaced Travis on base on a fielder’s choice, to second.  Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and scored on a line single to center by Greene.

Zander Bleymeyer came in to pitch the top of the seventh for the Wildcats.  He hit Goggin to open the inning and struck out Drill.  Jacob Robillard singled to put runners on first and second.  Brenden Donahue lined the ball to Greene in center field.  Greene caught the ball and whipped a throw to first to double off Robillard, ending the game.

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