GLENCOE — Playing once again on Labor Day weekend, the Miesville Mudhens are looking to defend their state title. Taking on the Forest Lake Brewers in the quarterfinals, the Mudhens cashed in on three errors by the Brewers as they moved one step closer to a repeat with a 4-2 win at Vollmer Field in Glencoe.
It wasn’t easy throughout for Mudhens as they found themselves trailing by a run after four innings. In the fifth was then they made their move though as they cashed in on three errors to retake the lead and held on down the stretch.
The Mudhens wasted no time in grabbing the early lead after Forest Lake stranded a pair of runners in the top half after back-to-back two-out singles. After Alex Hendrickson reached on a walk to open the bottom of the first inning, a swinging bunt from Ben Vujovich gave Miesville runners on first and second with nobody out. After a groundout, it was Brock Rinehart coming through with a sacrifice fly and RBI to give his team an early 1-0 lead.
After letting a scoring opportunity slip away earlier in the game, Forest Lake delivered in the top of the fourth. Stephen Golden beat out an infield single to give the Brewers a baserunner and with two outs, Mason Molitor came through in a big way. A two-run home run by Molitor to center field gave Forest Lake a 2-1 lead.
After going quietly in the fourth inning, Miesville answered back in the bottom of the fifth thanks to some miscues by the Brewers. A leadoff error put the tying run in scoring position to open the inning for the Mudhens. After a bunt single from Hendrickson, a throwing error on the play allowed Max Gamm to score and tie the game at two. Hendrickson later came around to score on another error by Forest Lake as Miesville reclaimed the lead 3-2. The Mudhens added on one more run in the inning on an RBI single from Ronnie Sweeny to take a 4-2 lead to the sixth inning.
Miesville’s Trevor Koenig gave his team a great start on the mound in the win. In nine innings of work, he allowed just two runs off six hits while striking out seven and walking one. He needed 122 pitches to pick up the complete-game win.
Offensively for the Mudhens it was the top of the order leading the way. Hendrickson scored two runs and two hits out of the leadoff spot while Vujovich finished with a three-hit game.
For Forest Lake, Molitor accounted for all their offense with his two-run home run.
Miesville advances to the Class A semifinals Saturday, Aug, 30 at 1:30 p.m. against the Macs Industrial Warriors.
