---

Princeton 1, Chisago Lakes 0 (11 innings)

In the best pitcher’s duel in the Eastern Minny League in at least a decade, the Princeton Panthers scored the only run of the game on a suicide squeeze in the bottom of the eleventh inning to beat the Chisago Lakes Bulldog baseball team 1-0 on Friday, June 27 at Mark Park in Princeton.  Winning pitcher Cedric Moreno went the distance for the Panthers.  In eleven innings allowed no runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out 13.  Beau Fandel, who took the loss for the Bulldogs, also pitched a complete game.  He allowed one earned run on seven hits, walked six and struck out 15.

With one out in the top of the first, Fandel singled to left and Alex Wilkey lined a single to right to put runners on first and second.  But Nate Zingerman struck out and Jeremy Knutson grounded out to end the inning.  In the top of the second, Tom Fitzer ripped a line drive that appeared headed for the gap in right center.  But Princeton second baseman Damon Radermacher leaped and got just enough of the ball to deflect it about 15 feet toward first base.  He raced over, picked up the ball and fired to first to retire Fitzer by a half step.  With two outs and no one on in the top of the third, Fandel launched the ball over the head of Panther center fielder Jake Carlson, and it bounced and hit the wall.  Carlson retrieved it quickly and fired it back in as Fandel cruised into second with a double.  But Wilkey followed with a groundout to end the inning.

Meanwhile, Fandel was dominant.  Only one of the first eleven Princeton batters reached base.  That batter reached on an error, but Fandel picked him off first two pitches later.  Princeton got their first hit with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.  Moreno was equally impressive.  He faced the minimum in the fourth through seventh innings.  The only batter to reach base in that stretch was Ty Escobedo, who singled to center to open the top of the sixth.  But he was doubled off when Radermacher made a great catch on Fandel’s popup into short right field, turned and fired to nip Escobedo as he dove back into first.

Princeton’s Nolan Spence reached on an error by shortstop Escobedo to lead off the bottom of the seventh.  Carlson followed with a walk.  On a 1-0 count, Cameron Jensen squared to bunt as Bulldog third baseman Jeremy Knutson charged, and Spence took off from second.  Jensen whiffed on the bunt attempt.   Bulldog catcher Nick Brown fired the ball to shortstop Escobedo, who had raced over to cover third when Knutson charged.  Spence didn’t even bother to slide as Escobedo took a perfect throw from Brown and tagged out Spence for the first out of the inning.  Carlson took second on the play.  Fandel struck out Jensen and Wyatt Petron to end the inning.

Fitzer lined a single to center to lead off the top of the eighth.  Josh Weinzetl bunted, but the ball popped up in the air in front of home plate.  Fitzer froze.  The ball dropped, and catcher Jensen easily threw him out at second.  With Tanner Edstrom at the plate, Weinzetl stole second on what looked like a delayed steal.  Edstrom popped out for the second out.  Escobedo launched the first pitch he saw to deep right center, but the ball hung up a little too long and right fielder Niko Brautlich tracked it down for the third out.  Rademacher and Tanner Kinney singled in the bottom of the eighth, but Fandel struck out the other three batters looking, and the game remained scoreless.

Fandel grounded a single to left to lead off the top of the ninth, and Wilkey lined a single to center to put runners on first and second with no outs.  Nate Zingerman squared to bunt on the first pitch but fouled it off.  The second pitch was low and outside, and Zingerman pulled his bat back.  The catcher dropped the ball momentarily, and Fandel took off for third.  The catcher fired the ball to third.  Fandel tried to dive around third baseman Eli Gibbs to the back of the bag, but GIbbs applied the tag and Fandel was out. Zingerman and Knutson struck out to end the inning.

Spence lined a single to center to lead off the bottom of the ninth and stole second.  Carlson reached on an infield single, sending Spence to third.  Jensen was intentionally walked to load the bases, setting up the force at home.  Fandel struck out Petron and pinch hitter Noah Kuzen, and Radermacher flew out to left on a 2-2 pitch to end the inning.

Other than a walk to Weinzetl with two outs in the  top of the tenth, neither team had a baserunner until the bottom of the eleventh.

Spence lined a single to left to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a passed ball.  Carlson walked.  Spence advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Jensen was again intentionally walked to load the bases and set up the force at home.  Petron bunted the first pitch from Fandel to the right of the mound as Spence raced toward home on a suicide squeeze.  Fandel slipped and fell as he attempted to retrieve the ball, and Spence crossed the plate to give the Panthers a 1-0 win.

Mora 10, Chisago Lakes 0 (7 innings)

The Mora Blue Devils took advantage of the fact that the Bulldogs only had two of their regular starters and shut out the Bulldogs 10-0 in a game shortened to seven innings because of the ten-run rule.  Most of the regulars were missing family commitments or weeklong July 4 plans.  Jacob Mickelson started and took the loss for the Bulldogs.   The game was played on Sunday, June 29 at Mora High School.

The Bulldogs trailed 8-0 after five innings, and Mora starter Derek Graves had allowed just two baserunners – both walks – to that point of the game.  Tom Fitzer drilled a double to right center to open the top of the sixth, breaking up the no-hitter. Tyler Stilp followed with a single to left to put runners at the corners with no out.  But Graves got the next three batters on a popup, a strikeout, and a lineout to keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard.  Tanner Edstrom led off the top of the seventh with a walk, and River Bemlott followed with a popup down the left field line that dropped in for a single.  Two outs later, Fitzer hit a ground ball between third and short and beat the throw from the shortstop to first to load the bases.  But Graves got Stilp on a pop out to end the inning.  The Blue Devils scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to make the score 10-0, ending the game.

Bulldog Banter

The Bulldogs are off until they head to Ogilvie to face the Orioles on July 12.  Next week, we will preview the rest of the regular season as they head toward the district playoffs , which start July 24 and will take place at Brennan Field in Hinckley.

---