Amateur baseball
First Nite, Gopher teams near end of regular season
There’s a light Sunday schedule for the amateur baseball teams that play in the First Nite and Gopher leagues.
Jackson hosts Luverne in a 6 p.m. game at Wacker Field and Heron Lake travels to Hadley for a 5 p.m. game vs. the Buttermakers at Laurie Mahon Memorial Field.
There’s a makeup game slated for Monday with Lakefield traveling to Truman to play Fox Lake at 7:30 p.m.
The Bulls are 9-6 overall and 8-4 in league play after their 10-1 win at Fox Lake Wednesday.
Carter Snyder had three hits including two doubles and was hit by a pitch, and Easton Bahr had three hits with one double and was hit by a pitch.
Evan Olesen and Chris Gumto had two hits apiece. Will Larson hit a two-run home run and Seth Busch doubled.
Jackson used five pitchers.
The Class B Redbirds come to town Sunday 4-5 overall and 4-4 in league play.
Fund-raiser
JCC’s 10U baseball team will be holding a fund-raiser as it looks ahead to its state tournament trip later this month.
On the menu is a pork chop on a stick for $3 and there’s a meal deal that includes chips and a water for $6. The event is sponsored by Sunshine Foods, Boekett Lumber and New Fashion Pork.
Standings
Through July 5
First Nite League
Windom 11-1
Jackson 8-4
Fairmont 6-1
Lakefield 3-8
Fox Lake 2-8
Heron Lake 1-11
Gopher League
Milroy Irish 8-3
Hadley 6-5
Pipestone 6-6
Luverne 4-5
Worthington 4-7
League games only
Sunday, July 6
Heron Lake at Hadley, 5 p.m.
Luverne at Jackson, 6 p.m.
Monday, July 7
Lakefield at Fox Lake, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 9
Lakefield at Fairmont, 7:30 p.m.
Windom at Fox Lake, 7:30 p.m.
Luverne at Pipestone, 7:30 p.m.
Milroy Irish at Worthington, 7:30 p.m.
Hadley at Marshall, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 11
Fox Lake at Milroy Irish, 7:30 p.m.
Fairmont at Worthington, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 12
Marshall at Hadley, 2 p.m.
Sunday, July 13
Jackson at Lakefield, 5 p.m.
Fox Lake at Luverne, 2 p.m.
Windom at Heron Lake, 2 p.m.
Worthington at Hadley, 2 p.m.
Pipestone at Milroy Irish, 5 p.m.
10C standings
As listed on the Region 10C X account, here are the current Region 10 standings and seeding with tie breakers.
1. Windom Pirates 11-1
2. Milroy Irish 8-3
3. Jackson Bulls 8-4
4. Pipestone A's 6-6
5. Hadley Buttermakers 6-5
6. Worthington Cubs 4-7
7. Lakefield Frogs 3-8
8. Fox Lake Foxes 2-8
9. Heron Lake Lakers 1-11
Tough luck loss
This didn’t happen in southwest Minnesota, but I came across a townball happening that I think is worth mentioning in this space.
It looks like the Rosen Express and Ortonville Rox play on July 4 every year.
This year’s game was one that will be talked about for years to come, not only when the teams meet but any time the fellas gather for refreshments.
This year’s game went 17 innings, which is remarkable enough itself. Rosen won 8-6.
Mike Schake was the tough luck losing pitcher and then some for the Express.
He went the full 17 innings on the mound, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 14 hits, walking eight and striking out six. With no pitch count rule to worry about, he threw 261 pitches, 175 for strikes.
With the towns being only 15 miles apart in western Minnesota near the South Dakota border, there’s a decent chance Mike Schake is somehow related to the winning pitcher from Ortonville, Tony Schake.
Tony was the third of three pitchers for the Rox.
He wouldn’t have received credit for it, but he was one away from nine shutout innings. As it was, he went 8.2 innings without giving up a run, allowing six hits, walking three and fanning six.
The three Ortonville pitchers combined for 281 pitches, 183 for strikes.