Orioles stand alone at state

The second weekend of the State Class C Amateur Baseball Tournament wasn't as kind as the first to the Dakota-Rice-Scott baseball league.

            Three of the four DRS teams were eliminated in the tournament's second round, with only the New Prague Orioles advancing to the tourney's third round. New Prague will face Jordan at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, at Delano.

            The tournament continues with two rounds on Sunday and the championship game on Labor Day. If New Prague advances, they would play at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in Delano in the quarterfinals against either Luverne or Maple Lake. The winner of that game would play in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. in Maple Lake

            New Prague advanced with a 12-1 win over Plato, while Union Hill lost 9-1 to Fergus Falls, St. Benedict lost 4-1 to Belle Plaine and New Market lost 4-2 to Fairmont.

New Prague 12, Plato 1

            The first six innings went quickly as Orioles' starter Ben Morrison, draftee from Prior Lake, and Plato starter Chris Bullis, draftee from Waconia, breezed through the lineup without a hit through three innings. It was 1-1 in the top of the seventh when the Orioles erupted for seven runs, breaking the game open.

            The key hit for New Prague was a double by Teddy Nytes to give the Orioles the lead. Nytes went 2-for-4, while Austin Bachman went 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs and Dan Novak went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. Leading 8-1 going into the final inning, New Prague tacked on four runs in the top of the ninth.

            Morrison went six innings, allowing just five hits and striking out two. Draftee Bill Dunker from St. Patrick pitched two innings and draftee Johnny Krocak from Montgomery pitched the final inning

Fergus Falls 9,

Union Hill 1

            Fergus Falls scored four runs in the second inning on their way to a 9-1 win over Union Hill.

            Dan Feneis took the loss for the Bulldogs, with Brad Weiers, Seth Ambroz, draftee from St. Patrick, and Matt Beckius all pitching in relief.

            Jeff Dietz drove in the only run for Union Hill, scoring John Solheid with a base hit. Dietz, Conrad Masberg and Adam Gill each had two hits for Union Hill.

Belle Plaine 4,

St. Benedict 1

            St. Benedict scored a run in the third inning when Jacob Riesgraf drove in Nick Heitkamp with a single, but that would be the only run for the Saints. Scott Eischens, Andy Huss, Chris Hartman and Jeremy Heitkamp had the only other hits for the Saints.

            Tanner Oakes went six innings, allowing eight  hits and striking out three. He gave up three runs, only one of which was earned.

Fairmont 4, New Market 2

            Bryce Rippentrop drove in the game's first run for New Market with a double to score Scott Lyden, and Rippentrop later came in to score to give the Muskies a 2-0 lead.

            However Fairmont scored once each in the sixth and seventh to tie the game, then scored twice in the eighth for a 4-2 win.

            Rippentrop went 2-for-4 for New Market, while Dave Stewart, Lyden and Mike Carpentier had one hit each.

            Derek Bergstrom started and took the loss. He went seven innings, and allowed just four hits and struck out three. Nate Rost pitched the final two innings.

Class C scores

Second round

• Howard Lake 3, Clear Lake 2

• Green Isle 9, Morris 0

• Belle Plaine 4, St. Benedict 1

• Avon 1, Cannon Falls 0

• Fairmont 4, New Market 2

• Lastrup 9, Moorhead 4

• Winsted 5, Waseca 4

• Lake Henry 3, Bluffton 1

• New Prague 12, Plato 1

• Jordan 5, Bertha 1

• Luverne 4, Midway 0

• Maple Lake 9, Watkins 2

• Sobieski 3, Elrosa 0

• Sartell 6, Lake Crystal 0

• Dumont 2, Lamberton 0

• Fergus Falls 9, Union Hill 1

Third Round

Saturday, Aug. 31

• Green Isle vs. Howard Lake, 1:30 p.m. at Maple Lake

• Belle Plaine vs. Avon, 11 a.m. at Maple Lake

• Fairmont vs. Lastrup, 11 a.m. at Delano

• Winsted vs. Lake Henry, 5 p.m. at Delano

• Jordan vs. New Prague, 7:30 p.m. at Delano

• Luverne vs. Maple Lake, 5 p.m. at Maple Lake

• Sartell vs. Sobieski, 7:30 p.m. at Maple Lake

• Dumont vs. Fergus Falls, 1:30 p.m. at Delano

Quarterfinals

Sunday, Sept. 1

• Games at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in both Delano and Maple Lake (New Prague-Jordan winner plays at 1:30 p.m. in Delano)

Semifinals

Sunday, Sept. 1

• Games at 5 and 7:30 p.m. in Maple Lake (New Prague would play at 7:30 p.m.)

Championship

Monday, Sept. 2,

• Noon in Maple Lake.