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By CHUCK FITZER

Chisago Lakes 4, St. Francis 0

Bailey Kasprowicz and Reed Marquardt combined for a six-hit shutout to lead the Bulldog baseball team to a 4-0 win over the St. Francis Silverbacks Monday, June 29 at Chisago Lakes High School. In six innings, winning pitcher Kasprowicz gave up six hits, walked three and struck out eight. Marquardt pitched three hitless innings, walking one and striking out four, to get the save.

Alex Wilkey doubled to the wall in left field to lead off the top of the second inning. Tyler Stilp hit a slow roller to short. Wilkey headed for third as the shortstop charged the ball and scored when the throw skipped by the first baseman. Ty Escobedo and Brayden Anderson had back-to-back walks to lead off the third. Reed Marquardt followed with a line drive single to center, scoring Escobedo to make it 2-0.

The Bulldogs added two more runs in the top of the sixth. Beau Fandel led off the inning with a high popup down the right field line. The right fielder pulled up just short of the ball, and it dropped in. Fandel ran hard all the way and slid into second for a double. Wilkey doubled to the wall in center to drive in Fandel. Stilp walked. Tripp Stensrud grounded into a second to first double play, with Wilkey moving to third. Nick Brown hit a pop fly behind shortstop that dropped between three fielders for a single, and Wilkey crossed the plate to make it 4-0. The Silverbacks made some noise in the bottom of the ninth. Marquardt hit the first batter of the inning and walked the second. But he settled down and stuck out the next batter. After a popup to first baseman Wilkey, Marquardt blew three pitches past the overwhelmed batter to end the game.

Chisago Lakes 3, New Richmond 2

With the Bulldogs trailing 2-1 and two on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Reed Marquardt hit a two run double to lift the Bulldogs to a 3-2 walkoff win over the New Richmond Millers on Wednesday, July 1 at Chisago Lakes High School. “That’s my first walkoff hit ever,” said an elated Marquardt after the game. Tommy Meyer and Jacob Mickelson combined to allow two runs through the first eight innings, and Brayden Anderson picked up the win by pitching a scoreless ninth.

Starter Meyer, who went four innings in his first appearance of the season for the Bulldogs, walked the first batter in the top of the third. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second. The next batter lined a single to center. The runner stopped at third, but center fielder Ty Escobedo bobbled the ball, and the runner took off for home, scoring easily to give the Millers a 1-0 lead. The score stayed that way until the top of the seventh. Mickelson gave up a leadoff single. A sacrifice bunt and a groundout moved the runner to third with two outs. The next batter hit a hard ground ball to short that looked like it would end the inning, but shortstop Marquardt didn’t field it cleanly. The batter reached first and the runner from third scored to make it 2-0.

In the top of the ninth, Anderson hit the first batter he faced. The next batter sacrificed the runner to second. On a 3-1 count, the runner from second took off for third a little early. Anderson stepped off, turned and threw the ball to third baseman Tyler Stilp to cut down the runner for the second out. On a 3-2 count, the batter hit a popup to shortstop Marquardt, who caught it to end the inning and set the stage for the Bulldog comeback.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs struggled to generate any offense against crafty lefty Brady Cunningham.  In seven innings, he scattered seven hits, didn’t walk anyone, struck out two, and just didn’t allow much hard contact. After Tyler Stilp grounded into a double play to end the eighth against reliever Gunner Nordin, it looked like the Bulldogs might be on their way to being shut out for the first time this season. But the bottom of the order came to the rescue. Carson Luxem walked with one us in the bottom of the ninth and moved to second on a wild pitch. On a 1-2 pitch, Jack Boeck swung at a pitch in the dirt. But the ball skipped by the catcher and Boack reached first without a throw, with Luxem moving to third. River Bemlott grounded a single to center, scoring Luxem to cut the Miller lead to 2-1 and putting runners on first and second. Zander Bleymeyer followed with a single to center. Boeck was waved home and was thrown out by about 20 feet for the second out of the inning. Marquardt stepped to the plate and worked the count to 3-2. The runners took off as the Nordin delivered the ball to the plate. Marquardt drilled a ball to the left center field gap. It bounced once and banged into the wall. Bemlott scored and Bleymeyer was right behind him, crossing the plate with the winning run.

Bulldog outfielder Brayden Andeson played all nine positions in the game. He started in right field in the first inning and moved his way through each spot until pitching the top of the ninth.

Bulldog Banter

The Bulldogs (14-6 overall, 6-3 Eastern Minny League) will play host to the North Branch Nighthawks in the annual Mug Game this Friday, July 10 at Chisago Lakes High School as part of the Karl Oskar Days festivities. After the game, fans are welcome to stay for a free screening of the movie “Sandlot”, with free popcorn and pop provided. Bring a blanket and enjoy a fun night under the stars. The Bulldogs will also participate n the Karl Oskar Days parade on Saturday, July 11.

Next Wednesday, July 15, the Bulldogs will host the Princeton Panthers at 7:30 p.m. at Chisago Lakes High School. The results of the Princeton game and the North Branch game will have a significant impact on the regional playoff seedings.

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