After the #8 seeded Aitkin Steam and the #9 seeded Upsala Bluejays split the first 2 games of their best 2-of-3 series on Saturday, they met once again on Sunday in the decisive Game 3 with the final spot in the Region 9C Tournament up for grabs.
With the game tied at 7-7 going to the bottom of the 9th, Aitkin scored the deciding run with 2 outs to pull out an 8-7 win and claim the #8 seed at the Region 9C Tournament next weekend.
The pitching matchup in this game featured Zack Ehnstrom for the Steam and Jack Primus for the Bluejays.
After a scoreless 1st inning, Upsala grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the 2nd. Brady Yourczek led off the inning with a single, followed by another hit from Justin Cichon, moving Yourczek to 3rd. After a strikeout, Brady Burggraff’s pop up allowed Yourczek to tag up and score to give Upsala a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Aitkin struck back. Jake Ince reached on an error but was forced out on a ground ball by Drew Paulbeck. Thor Dunham then flew out to center fielder Brandon Welinski for the 2nd out. Carson Kullhem then singled to center to move Paulbeck to 3rd. Jack Primus then walked John McGuire toload the bases. Zack Ehnstrom then put the Steam ahead with a 2-run single to center, scoring both Paulbeck and Kullhem. Landon Janzen’s ground ball was then mishandled for an error, allowing John McGuire to score and make it 3-1 after 2 innings.
In the top of the 3rd, Upsala regained the lead when Travis Barthel led off with a single, then Jack Primus tripled with 1 out to score Barthel and make it a 3-2 game. Bryce Binek then bounced a ball to 2nd that was misplayed for an error and Primus came home to score to tie the game at 3-3. Brady Yourczek singled with 2 outs and Justin Cichon reached on another error to load the bases. Brandon Welinski then singled to drive in Bryce Binek and the Bluejays were back in front 4-3.
In the bottom of the 3rd, the runs kept coming. Nolan Dotzler led off with a single, then Drew Paulbeck singled with 1 out, moving Dotzler to 3rd. After a steal of 2nd by Paulbeck, Thor Dunham got hit by a Primus pitch to load the bases for Aitkin. Primus got Carson Kullhem on strikes for the 2nd out but then John McGuire bashed a 3-run double to center, scoring Dotzler, Paulbeck and Dunham and giving Aitkin a 6-4 lead after 3 innings.
In the top of the 4th, Upsala’s Travis Barthel led off with a walk, followed by a game-tying 2-run Homer to left by CJ Clear to make it a 6-6 game.
The scoring settled down for a while as the score remained 6-6 through the 7th inning stretch. Aitkin threatened in the bottom of the 7th on a 2-out double by Jake Ince and a single by Drew Paulbeck and a stolen base to put runners at 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs. But Jack Primus struck out Thor Dunham to strand both runners as the game moved to the 8th still tied at 6-6.
In the top of the 8th, Brandon Welinski led off with a single, followed by a Brady Burggraff sacrifice bunt. Welinski then advanced to 3rd on a ground out by Travis Barthel. CJ Clear then ripped an rbi single to score Welinski and give Upsala a 7-6 lead.
In the bottom of the 8th, the Steam got a lead-off double from Carson Kullhem. Jack Primus then struck out John McGuire but then Zack Ehnstrom singled to move Kullhem to 3rd. Landon Janzen then hit a fly ball deep enough to Brandon Welinski in center, allowing Kullhem to tag up and score the tying run and the game was all squared again at 7-7 after 8 innings.
Aitkin’s Drew Paulbeck had been on in relief of Zack Ehnstrom since the 4th and now he came out in the 9th and quickly got Bryce Binek on strikes, he got Matt Swanson to pop out to shortstop Jake McGuire and then Brady Yourczek grounded out shortstop to send the game to the bottom of the 9th.
Nolan Dotzler opened the inning with a bunt single for Aitkin, then he stole 2nd. Dotzler moved to 3rd on a ground out by Jake Ince. With the winning run on 3rd and 1 out, Jack Primus got Drew Paulbeck to line out to right fielder CJ Clear, as Dotzler held up at 3rd. Aitkin brought in Owen Fodayto pinch-hit for Thor Dunham and on a 2-0 pitch, Nolan Dotzler raced home on a wild pitch from Primus to score the winning run and give Aitkin the 8-7 victory.
The win clinched the #8 seed in the Region 9C Tournament and means that the Steam will play the #1 seeded Randall Cubs on Saturday at 10:30 am in Upsala in the 1st round.
Upsala 7 11 2 – 7
Aitkin 8 11 3 – 8
WP: Drew Paulbeck 6.0 IP 1 run 4 hits 2k 0bb
Zack Ehnstrom 3.0 IP 6 runs 7 hits 2k 1bb
LP: Jack Primus 8.2 IP 8 runs 11 hits 6k 4bb 1hp
Steam:
John McGuire 1-3 2B, 2bb, sb, 3 rbi, run
Zack Ehnstrom 3-5 2B, sb, 2 rbi
Landon Janzen 0-3 bb, sac fly, rbi
Jake McGuire 0-5
Nolan Dotzler 2-5 sb, 2 runs
Jake Ince 1-4 2B, bb
Drew Paulbeck 2-5 2 sb, 2 runs
Thor Dunham 0-3 hp, run
– Owen Foday 0-0
Carson Kullhem 2-4 2B, 2 runs
Bluejays:
Jack Primus 1-5 3B, rbi, run
Bryce Binek 0-5 rbi, run
Matt Swanson 0-5
Brady Yourczek 3-5 sb, run
Justin Cichon 1-4
Brandon Welinski 2-4 rbi, run
Brady Burggraff 1-3 rbi
Travis Barthel 1-3 bb, 2 runs
CJ Clear 2-4 Hr, 3 rbi, run