Jackson started slowly, worked its way back to within one on two different occasions, and then saw Luverne pull away with a big ninth inning as the Redbirds defeated the Bulls 9-3 in an amateur baseball game Sunday at Wacker Field.
Luverne used three hits and three Jackson errors to score three runs in the second inning for a 3-0 lead.
The Bulls got to Luverne’s Ben Serie for two runs in the fourth inning.
Andy Wolf led off the inning by reaching as he was hit by a pitch. After a force out retired Wolf at second for the first out, Carter Snyder doubled to left field to get the Bulls on the board.
Chris Gumto singled with two outs to make it a 3-2 game.
The Redbirds pushed the lead back to two at 4-2 in the top of the fifth and it stayed that way until the Bulls cut the deficit in the home half of the seventh. Alex Bretzman and Easton Bahr walked to start the inning and Bretzman would later score on a Luverne error.
Evan Olesen and Gumto singled to give Jackson two on with nobody out in the eighth, but the Bulls couldn’t capitalize and get the equalizer.
Luverne scored five runs, all with two outs, in the ninth. Jackson was retired in order in the bottom of the ninth with the last two outs coming on strikeouts, bringing Serie’s total to nine. He allowed six hits, walked four and hit one.
Gumto had two hits for the Bulls. Recording one each were Snyder, Olesen, Blake Evans and Bretzman.
Ryan Rasche took the loss. He went 8.2 innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on nine hits, did not walk a batter and struck out six.
Two games remain on the Bulls’ regular-season schedule. They’re at Lakefield Sunday and are scheduled to host Fairmont on Wednesday, July 16.
Luverne 030 010 005 - 9
Jackson 000 200 100 – 3
Jackson Bulls schedule
Sunday, May 11: at Heron Lake, W 18-0
Sunday, May 18: at Hadley, L 10-8
Sunday, May 25: at Pipestone, W 7-1
Wednesday, May 28: Windom, L 6-3
Sunday, June 1: Worthington, W 14-0
Wednesday, June 4: at Fairmont, W 3-2
Sunday, June 8: Milroy Irish, L 6-4
Tuesday, June 10: at Lamberton, L 9-8
Wednesday, June 11: Fox Lake, W 11-1
Sunday, June 15: Lakefield, W 2-0
Wednesday, June 18: Hadley, L 10-6
Saturday, June 21: St. James, W 5-4 (8 innings)
Sunday, June 22: at Windom, L 2-1
Sunday, June 29: Heron Lake, W 10-0
Wednesday, July 2: at Fox Lake (Truman), W 10-1
Sunday, July 6: Luverne, L 9-3
Sunday, July 13: at Lakefield, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, July 16: Fairmont, 7:30 p.m.
