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by CHUCK FITZER

Coon Rapids 3, Chisago Lakes 2 (10 innings)

Alex Boxwell hit a solo homer with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning to give the Coon Rapids Redbirds a 3-2 win over the Bulldogs baseball team on Tuesday, May 19 at Wintercrest Park in Coon Rapids.

Tommy Fitzer lined a single to left with two outs in the top of the second, but Ben Clauson struck out looking to end the inning. The Redbirds put runners on first and second with a walk and a single with two outs in the bottom of the third inning, but Bulldog starting pitcher Beau Fandel struck out the next batter to end the inning. In the bottom of the fourth, a Redbird batter lined a double to the wall in left with one out. One out later, the runner scored on a line single to left, and Coon Rapids led 1-0. In the bottom of the fifth, left fielder Bailey Kasprowicz pulled up on a high popup to left and the ball dropped in for a single. The runner moved to second on a passed ball. The next batter lined a single to left and stole second. With the infield in, the next batter hit a one-hopper to shortstop Escobedo. He checked the runners and fired the ball to first in the dirt, but first baseman Clauson made a nice scoop for the out. The next batter popped out to third baseman Reed Marquardt for the second out. But a walk and a hit batter push across a run to make it 2-0. Fandel had to come out of the game with an arm issue, and his prognosis is uncertain. Cole Hentges came in to relieve and got the batter to ground out to end the inning.

Escobedo lined the first pitch of the sixth inning to center for a single. He advanced to second on a groundout by Brendan Hemr. Escobedo went to third in a wild pitch and scored on a deep fly to left center by Marquardt to cut the Redbird lead to 2-1. In the top of the seventh, Caden Coppersmith walked with two outs. He stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Kasprowicz walked. Coppersmith scored on another wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, the Redbirds put runners on first and second on an error and a hit batter. Marquardt came in to relieve Hentges, walked the first batter to load the bases, and struck out the next two batters to end the threat and send the game to extra innings. The Wildcats went out 1-2-3 in the top of the tenth. With two outs in the bottom of the tenth, Alex Boxwell launched a very high fly ball to right field. The ball kept carrying and landed about 30 feet beyond the fence for a home run, giving the Redbirds a 3-2 win.

In 4 2/3 innings, starter Fandel allowed two runs – one earned – on five hits, walked three, hit one and struck out seven. In 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, Hentges allowed three hits, walked one and struck out six. Marquardt took the loss. In 1 1/3 innings, he allowed one earned run on one hit, walked one, and struck out three.

Chisago Lakes 25, Ham Lake 2 (5 innings)

The Ham Lake Hornets jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Bulldogs responded with 25 runs over the next four innings. The game ended after five innings because the Bulldogs had a lead of 15 runs or more after five innings (the “15 run rule”). The game was played Wednesday, May 20 at Chisago Lakes High School. Jacob Mickelson Started and pitched all five innings for the win. He allowed two earned runs on six hits, walked one and struck out nine.

Reed Marquardt led all hitters in the game. He went 5-5 with two doubles, seven RBIs and four runs scored. Brendan Hemr was 3-for-3 with two walks, two RBIs, five runs scored and a stolen base. Carson Luxem, Tom Fitzer and Alex Wilkey had two hits apiece, and Fitzer scored three runs. Wilkey drove in three runs. Brayden Anderson stole two bases, drove in two runs, and scored four runs. Caden Coppersmith doubled and drove in three runs, and River Bemlott drove in two runs with a double.

Chisago Lakes 2, Elk River 1

Cole Hentges pitched five perfect innings of relief, and the Bulldogs manufactured a run in the top of the ninth to beat the Elk River Lumberjacks 2-1 on Monday, May 25 at Plants and Things Recreational Complex - Field 5 in Elk River.

With one out in the top of the first, Ty Escobedo hit a soft liner that looked like it was headed for left field. But Lumberjack shortstop Jeff Brooks dove and made a circus catch to rob Escobedo of a single. With one out in the bottom of the inning, the Lumberjacks loaded the bases on a walk and two singles. Starter Bailey Kasprowicz struck out the next batter. A ground single up the middle drove in one run and left the bases loaded. Kasprowicz struck out the next batter on three pitches to end the threat with Elk River leading 1-0.

Elk River starter Max Loven set down the first eleven batters he faced. But with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, he hung an 0-1 slider to Brendan Hemr.  Hemr made Loven pay as he launched the ball high and deep over the left canter field fence for a home run, tying the game at 1-1.

Bulldog starter Bailey Kasprowicz struggled as he threw 91 pitches over four innings.  He allowed one earned run on seven hits, walked one, hit one, and stuck out six. He showed a lot of grit as he pitched his way out of bases-loaded jams in the first and fourth innings, including getting Brooks to fly out to deep center to end the fourth. With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Josh Riffe hit a liner that appeared headed for the right field corner. Right fielder Tommy Fitzer raced over, dove to his left and caught the ball inches off the ground to save an extra base hit.

Hentges grounded a single to left to open the top of the eighth. After Brayden Anderson struck out, Escobedo reached on an error. Hemr hit a fly ball to deep right center. Hentges hesitated, thinking the ball might be caught, and got a late jump off second. He was held up at third, but Escobedo had taken off right away from first and was right on Hentges’s heels as he stopped at third. Hentges took off for home but was easily thrown out by the third baseman as Escobedo moved to third and Hemr moved to second. Alex Wilkey struck out to end the inning.

Marquardt grounded a single up the middle to open the top of the ninth. Tommy Fitzer’s second sacrifice bunt of the game moved Marquardt to second. Jeremy Knutson swung and hit a ball that bounced behind the plate, but spun into fair territory, rolling about 20 feet up the first base line. The pitcher picked up the ball and threw it past the first baseman into short right field. Knutson reached first and Marquardt scored all the way from second on the play to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.  In the bottom of the inning, Andrew Palm led off with a sinking line drive to short left center that looked like it would drop in for a single. But left fielder Brayden Anderson made an incredible running catch to keep the bases clear. The next two batters grounded out to end the game, and the Bulldogs had an exciting 2-1 win.

In his five innings of scoreless relief, Hentges allowed no hits, walked none, and struck out one.

Bulldog Banter

Beau Fandel was the Eastern Minny League pitcher of the week for the week of May 10-16, and Reed Marquardt was the batter of the week for the week of May 17-23. Marquardt also now holds the Bulldog career record in doubles with 35, and Hemr moved into first place in career home runs with eight, one ahead of current teammate Alex Wilkey.

The Bulldogs will head to Adolph Larson Field in Cambridge to take on the Cambridge Bandits on Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m.

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