The #8 seeded Aitkin Steam beat the #9 seeded Upsala Bluejays 8-2 in Game 1 of their playoff series on Saturday at Woock Field, but the Bluejays bounced back for a 5-4 win in Game 2, setting up a Sunday showdown for the final spot in the Region 9C Tournament next week.
Game 1
Aitkin took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st when John McGuire led off with a walk against Upsala starter CJ Clear. Landon Janzen then singled with 1 out to advance McGuire to 3rd. After Clear fanned Jake McGuire, John McGuire scored on a steal of home to make it 1-0 after 1 inning.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Drew Paulbeck singled with 1 out, followed by another single from Keyon Wesner. Carson Kullhem then walked to load the bases, then John McGuire singled to center to drive in Paulbeck and make it 2-0. With 2 outs, Landon Janzen came through with a big 3-run double to put the Steam ahead 5-0 after 2 innings.
Upsala got on the board in the top of the 3rd on a solo blast from Jack Primus with 2 outs to make it 5-1.
In the bottom of the 3rd, the Steam got a 2-out rbi single from Nathan Ehnstrom to increase their lead to 6-1 after 3 innings.
In the top of the 4th, Upsala got a 2-out rbi single from Bryce Binek to score Brady Yourczek and make the score 6-2.
Aitkin got that run back in the bottom of the 4th on another 2-out run-scoring hit, this time from Drew Paulbeck to put Aitkin ahead 7-2 after 4 innings.
Zack Ehnstrom put the final rin on the board for the Steam with his 2-out solo Homer in the bottom of the 8th to make it 8-2.
In the top of the 9th, Aitkin pitcher Nathan Ehnstrom completed his start with a scoreless inning, giving up a 9th inning double to Bryce Binek but ending the game with Travis Barthel grounding out to 1st baseman Landon Janzen to sew up the Steam’s 8-2 win.
Upsala 2 7 1 – 2
Aitkin 8 12 1 – 8
WP: Nathan Ehnstrom 9.0 IP 2 runs 7 hits 7k 0bb
LP: CJ Clear 4.0 IP 7 runs 10 hits 3k 5bb
Bryce Binek 4.0 IP 1 run 2 hits 4k 1bb
Steam:
John McGuire 1-4 bb, sb, rbi, 2 runs
Nathan Ehnstrom 1-5 rbi
Landon Janzen 3-5 2B(2), 3 rbi
Jake McGuire 0-3 2bb
Zack Ehnstrom 1-4 Hr, bb, rbi, 2 runs
Nolan Dotzler 2-3 run
– Aiden Flanagan 0-2
Drew Paulbeck 2-4 rbi, run
Keyon Wesner 2-4 run
Carson Kullhem 0-2 2bb, run
Bluejays:
Jack Primus 3-4 Hr, sb, rbi, run
Justin Cichon 0-4
– Reese Johannes 0-0
Jaxon Bartkowicz 1-3
Brady Yourczek 1-4 run
Brandon Welinski 0-4
Bryce Binek 2-4 2B, rbi
Joe Bartkowicz 0-4
Travis Barthel 0-2
– Colton Burggraff 0-2
CJ Clear 0-3
Game 2
The Upsala Bluejays evened their series with the Aitkin Steam with a 5-4 win in Game 2 with the deciding run coming on an 8th inning solo Homer off the bat of Travis Barthel. Game 3 will be Sunday at 1:30 pm in Aitkin with the winner advancing to the Region 9C Tournament.
Aitkin got off to a strong start in Game 2 when John McGuire led off with a single off Upsala starter Isaac Gapinski. Nathan Ehnstrom then got hit by a pitch before Gapinski got Landon Janzen to pop back to the mound and struck out Jake McGuire looking for the 2nd out. But the Steam then got consecutive rbi singles from Zack Ehnstrom and Nolan Dotzler to go up 2-0.
In the bottom of the 1st, Upsala responded with a walk to Jack Primus by starter Thor Dunham. Bryce Binek then reached on an error and a Justin Cichon ground out allowed Primus to score and make it 2-1 after 1 inning.
In the top of the 2nd, Aitkin regained their 2-run advantage on a walk to Keyon Wesner and a 2-out rbi single from Nathan Ehnstrom to put the Steam up 3-1.
Aitkin threatened again in the 3rd when Nolan Dotzler singled with 2 outs, followed by a double from Drew Paulbeck. But Isaac Gapinski avoided any damage by getting Keyon Wesner to fly out to Brandon Welinski in center to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Upsala got a lead-off double from Jack Primus, then Justin Cichon laced a 1-out rbi single to score Primus and make it 3-2 after 3 innings.
Isaac Gapinski issued a pair of walks in the top of the 4th but again, got off the hook with an inning-ending strikeout of Jake McGuire.
In the bottom of the 4th, the Bluejays tied things up when CJ Clear doubled to left with 1 out. With 2 outs, a line drive rbi single to right by Colton Burggraff scored Clear to tie the score at 3-3 after 4 innings.
It stayed 3-3 until the top of the 7th when Aitkin retook the lead, getting singles from Nathan Ehnstrom and Jake McGuire and an error on a ball hit by Zack Ehnstrom loaded the bases with 1 out. Isaac Gapinski struck out Nolan Dotzler for the 2nd out but then another Upsala error, this time on a ground ball from Drew Paulbeck, allowed Nathan Ehnstrom to score and the Steam had a 4-3 lead at the 7th inning stretch.
In the bottom of the 7th, Aitkin brought in Carson Kullhem to relieve starter Thor Dunham. Bryce Binek greeted Kullhem with a double, and 1 out later, Brady Yourczek also doubled, scoring Binek to tie the game at 4-4 after 7 innings.
In the top of the 8th, Upsala brought in Brady Yourczek to pitch in favor of Isaac Gapinski. Carson Kullhem led off with a walk for the Steam, followed by a sacrifice bunt from John McGuire to move Kullhem to 2nd with 1 out. Yourczek then struck out Nathan Ehnstrom for the 2nd out. Upsala then took the bat out of the hands of Landon Janzen, issuing an intentional walk. Yourczek then hit Jake McGuire with a pitch to load the bases with 2 outs. Brady Yourczek left the bases loaded by getting Zack Ehnstrom to fly out to center fielder Brandon Welinski to keep it a 4-4 game.
In the bottom of the 8th, Thor Dunham got CJ Clear to ground out to 3rd for the 1st out, but then Travis Barthel crushed the first pitch he saw over the fence in left to put Upsala ahead 5-4 after 8 innings.
In the top of the 9th, Brady Yourczek walked Nolan Dotzler to lead off, then got Drew Paulbeck to line out to left fielder CJ Clear. Keyon Wesner then popped out to Yourczek in foul territory for the 2nd out and Yourczek then made sure there would be a Game 3 on Sunday with a strikeout of Carson Kullhem to end the game with a 5-4 Bluejays win.
Aitkin 4 8 2 – 4
Upsala 5 9 2 – 5
WP: Brady Yourczek 2.0 IP 0 runs 0 hits 2k 3bb 1hp
Isaac Gapinski 7.0 IP 4 runs 8 hits 6k 3bb 1hp
LP: Carson Kullhem 2.0 IP 2 runs 3 hits 2k 2bb
Thor Dunham 6.0 IP 3 runs 6 hits 4k 1bb 1hp
Bluejays:
Jack Primus 2-3 2B, 2bb, 2 sb, 2 runs
Bryce Binek 1-4 2B, bb, run
Justin Cichon 1-5 2 rbi
Brady Yourczek 2-4 2B, rbi
Brandon Welinski 0-4
Jeremy Mugg 0-3 hp
– Reese Johannes 0-0
CJ Clear 1-4 2B, run
Travis Barthel 1-4 Hr, rbi, run
Colton Burggraff 1-4 rbi
Steam:
John McGuire 1-3 bb, sb, run
Nathan Ehnstrom 2-4 hp, rbi, 2 runs
Landon Janzen 0-3 2bb
– Owen Foday 0-0
Jake McGuire 1-4
Zack Ehnstrom 1-5 rbi
Nolan Dotzler 2-4 bb, rbi
Drew Paulbeck 1-5 2B
Keyon Wesner 0-4 bb, sb, run
Carson Kullhem 0-4 bb