Jake Kapphahn belted a tie-breaking 3-run Homer in the 7th and threw 6 shutout innings of relief to get the Win as the Sobieski Skis downed the Avon Lakers 8-4 on Sunday at Blattner Field. The win locked up the #1 seed for Sobieski and a 1st round bye in the upcoming Section 4B Tournament. Avon finishes 4-8 in the regular season and will be the #6 seed in the Tournament.
Avon took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st when they loaded the bases on 3 straight singles to start the game from Elliott Burnett, Kadyn Mork and Caleb Curry. Reese Gregory then grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, as Burnett scored to give Avon a 1-0 lead.
Sobieski quickly tied things up in the top of the 2nd when Jake Kapphahn reached on an error, then went to 2nd on a passed ball. Kapphahn then tagged up on a deep fly ball to center from Dusty Parker. Hudson Filippi then ripped a double down the left field line to plate Kapphahn and tie the game at 1-1.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Avon moved back in front on 3 straight 1-out singles from Drew Lieser, Cole Wellmann and Carter Holthaus to load the bases. An rbi single from Elliott Burnett brought in pinch-runner Griffin Roemeling to put the Lakers ahead 2-1 after 2 innings.
Beau Thoma led off the top of the 3rd with an infield single for the Skis, and went to 2nd on an error on the throw. After Matt Filippi flew out to Kadyn Mork in center, Thoma tagged up and moved to 3rd. Collin Kray then tied the game with a sacrifice fly to center and it was 2-2. Jake Kapphahn then reached on the Lakers 3rd error of the inning, followed by a Dusty Parker single. Hudson Filippi then singled to score Kapphahn with a Parker going to 3rd and Filippi taking 2nd on the throw home. After w walk to Collin Eckman loaded the bases, Dusty Parker scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2 before Riley Czech grounded out to shortstop Caleb Curry to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Avon tied things up with 2 runs. Caleb Curry got it started with a single to right. After Skis starter Matt Filippi struck out Reese Gregory for the 1st out, Caleb Curry went to 2nd on an errant pick off throw from catcher Hudson Filippi, then he stole 3rd as Jack Theisen went down on strikes for the 2nd out. Carter Philippi took a 2-out walk to put runners at the corners, then a wild pitch scored Curry and moved Philippi to 2nd to make it 4-3. Drew Lieser then singled to center to score Philippi and the game was tied at 4-4 after 3 innings.
Both teams made pitching changes in the 4th inning. It was Cole Wellmann for Avon and Jake Kapphahn for Sobieski. Both guys worked relatively quiet and quick 4th and 5th innings as the game remained tied 4-4.
Avon had a serious threat to regain the lead in the bottom of the 6th when Carter Holthaus walked with 1 out. Elliott Burnett then popped up to Collin Eckman at shortstop for the 2nd out. Kadyn Mork then walked and Caleb Curry singled to left to load the bases with 2 outs for Reese Gregory. Jake Kapphahn was able to strike out Gregory on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning and keep the game tied 4-4 after 6 innings.
In the top of the 7th, Beau Thoma led off with a single off Cole Wellmann, then Matt Filippi put down a bunt trying to sacrifice Thoma to 2nd. But Avon failed to cover 1st base in time and Filippi was able to beat out a bunt single. The it was Collin Kray’s turn to bunt, which did, moving Thoma to 3rd and Filippi to 2nd with 1 out. Jake Kapphahn the launched a 3-run Homer over the fence in left-center to put the Skis up 7-4.
In the bottom of the 8th, Cole Wellmann led off with a single against Kapphahn, then Carter Holthaus flew out to center fielder Owen Bode for the 1st out. Elliott Burnett then picked up his 3rd hit of the game with a single to left to get the potential tying run to the plate with 1 out. But Kapphahn got Kadyn Mork to pop up to 3rd baseman Matt Baier, then got Caleb Curry to bounce out to shortstop Collin Eckman for a force out at 2nd to end the inning.
Beau Thoma opened the top of the 9th with a single and went to 2nd on a wild pitch. Matt Filippi then hit a grounder between the mound and 1st base and relief pitcher Reese Gregory threw out Filippi for the 1st out as Thoma advanced to 3rd. Gregory then walked Collin Kray and then got Jake Kapphahn to ground out for the 2nd out. Beau Thoma then scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-4 before Gregory struck out Dusty Parker to end the top of the 9th with the Skis up 8-4.
Jake Kapphahn made sure there wouldn’t be any drama in the bottom of the 9th by getting Reese Gregory to fly out to Owen Bode in center, then Carter Wesen flew out to left fielder Riley Czech and then it was a pennant-clinching ground out to shortstop Collin Eckman off the bat of Carter Philippi that sealed the Skis 8-4 win and the B Division Title.
Sobieski will be the #1 seed in the Section 4B Tournament and have a 1st round bye. They’ll play the winner of the Nisswa/Fort Ripley game. Avon will be the #6 seed and play #3 Foley in the 1st round.
Sobieski 8 10 2 – 8
Avon 4 12 4 – 4
WP: Jake Kapphahn 6.0IP 0 runs 3 hits 5k 3bb
Matt Filippi 3.0IP 4 runs 9 hits 3k 1bb 1hp
LP: Cole Wellmann 4.0IP 3 runs 4 hits 2k 0bb 2hp
Drew Lieser 3.0IP 4 runs 5 hits 1k 1bb
Reese Gregory 2.0IP 1 run 1 hit 2k 1bb
Skis:
Beau Thoma 3-5 3 runs
– Owen Bode 0-0
Matt Filippi 1-5 run
Collin Kray 0-2 bb, sac, sac fly, rbi
Jake Kapphahn 1-4 Hr, hp, 3 rbi, 3 runs
Dusty Parker 1-4 hp, run
Hudson Filippi 2-4 2B, 2 rbi
Collin Eckman 1-3 bb
Riley Czech 1-4
Matt Baier 0-4
Lakers:
Elliott Burnett 3-5 rbi, run
Kadyn Mork 1-3 2bb
Caleb Curry 3-5 sb, run
Reese Gregory 0-5
Jack Theisen 0-4
– Carter Wesen 0-1
Carter Philippi 0-4 bb, sb, run
Drew Lieser 2-4 rbi
– Griffin Roemeling 0-0 run
Cole Wellmann 2-3 hp
Carter Holthaus 1-3 bb
