Video and game updates were added here following the outdoor worship service held in Belgrade on Sunday morning.
Solo home runs by Derek Wiener and Kevin Kuefler helped lift the Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team past the Cold Spring Springers as they earned a berth in the Class C state tournament. After trailing 1-0, the Saints scored four unanswered runs in a 4-1 win in Lake Henry against the Springers to advance to state.
Kuefler added a single, and Wiener doubled as the Saints were held to five total hits by an impressive effort by Cold Spring starter Cole Fuchs, who took the loss in 7 innings of work on the mound. Payton VanBeck got the win in 5 innings of pitching where he held the Rockies to 3 hits and one run with 3 walks and 6 strikeouts. Greenwald draftee Brett Engelmeyer got the save in four innings of pitching with one run, no walks and two strikeouts.
*Here's video from the top of the third inning with Payton VanBeck pitching:
*Here's video from the top of the fifth inning:
*Here's Kevin Kuefler hitting his solo home run in the sixth inning:
After defeating Cold Spring, the Saints faced Spring Hill in their fourth meeting of the year with the Chargers. After taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning, the Saints rode the arms of starter Ashton Dingmann (7 innings) and closer Will VanBeck (2 innings) on their way to a 2-1 win in the first of two Region 15C seeding games. The Chargers got their lone run of the game in the top of the sixth on an RBI-single by Jamie Terres.
NEXT: the final seeding game takes place tomorrow (Sunday) at 11 a.m. back in Lake Henry. Elrosa takes on Kimball to determine the region's No. 2 seed to the state tournament.
SUNDAY update...the Elrosa Saints hold a 3-1 lead over Kimball in the final game of the Region 15C tournament going into the 7th inning. **The Saints hold a 3-1 lead through 7 1/2 innings.
UPDATE: Elrosa now has a 7-1 lead against Kimball after scoring four runs in the bottom of the 8th inning.
FINAL: Elrosa 7, Kimball 1. The Saints (20-4-1) earn the No. 2 seed to the state tournament. Brackets and scheduling information won't be posted until later tonight after 7 p.m.
STATE UPDATE! The Saints play at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 19 in Dassel. Their opponent will be the Hadley Buttermakers!
