GAME #1 THURSDAY, JUNE 11 MCC VS. OGILVIE

The MCC Rebels were back at the Minnesota State Baseball Tournament for the first time in twenty five years. The Rebels, in 2001, won the Consolation Championship good for 5th place in the Rebels’ best finish in school history. MCC hoped to improve on that finish this time around. The Rebels opened the tournament at Joe Faber Field in St Cloud against the Ogilvie Lions, who were making their first ever trip to the State Tournament. It would be a tough game, but the Rebels might have walked away with the signature moment of this year’s tournament.

The Rebels and the Lions played in the final game of the day and that meant seeing Red Lake County, South Ridge, and Madelia all advance to the Semi Finals and all in order of seeding. With the Rebels being the 4th seed and the Lions, the 5th maybe the Rebels had the advantage. Krew Schneider got the start for the Rebels in the Quarter Finals and Schneider would face a tough scrappy lineup from Ogilvie. Schneider pitched a solid game, allowing 8 hits, walking 3, while striking out 8 in 8 innings. Now, Schneider would navigate through trouble much of the game, as MCC commited 4 errors in the game, which allowed 7 un-earned runs. Ogilvie took the lead 3-0 in the third inning and then scored 5 runs in the 5th to claim, at the time, an 8-5 lead.

The Rebels trailed 3-0 going to the bottom of the third inning, when MCC rallied. With one out in the home half of the 3rd, Teague Meyer singled. Tristan Behrends hit a line drive to center to put runners at 1st and 3rd. Teague Meyer scored on a passed ball and Behrends advanced to third base. Dugan Kluis would ground out, scoring Behrends and making the score 3-2 with two outs. Krew Schneider walked and Carson Lewis hit a ground ball to short stop. An error on the throw would score courtesy runner Levi Kopperud from first, while Lewis ended up at 3rd base. Cayden Veldhuisen gave the Rebels the lead on a base hit to make the score 4-3. The Lions would regain the lead, 8-4, after a five run inning in the top of the 4th. MCC trailed by that score going to the bottom of the 6th. The Rebels opened the 6th inning with a Veldhuisen walk and a single by Danny Larson. Carter Hanson, with one out, singled to center, driving in the Rebels’ 5th run. With two outs and bases loaded, Dugan Kluis was hit by a pitch to bring in the Rebels’ 6th run of the game. Another passed ball by the Lions would score Hanson from third base and the Rebels went to the 7th, down 8-7.

The Rebels came to the plate in the bottom of the 7th. After a ground out, back to back walks to Danny Larson and Gabe Tentinger gave the Rebels a chance. A passed ball would move both runners up to 2nd and 3rd with one out. Carter Hanson laid down a bunt and Noah Frisk, running for Danny Larson, scored to tie the game. MCC failed to end the game in regulation, so it was off to extra innings. The Rebels came to the plate still tied. Krew Schneider walked to open the inning. Then a fielder’s choice had him retired at second base, leaving Carson Lewis running at first, with one out. Cayden Veldhuisen was hit by a pitch to put runners on 1st and 2nd and Danny Larson was walked to load the bases. Gabe Tentinger was next to step to the plate. With one out, the Senior rIght fielder sent the Rebels to the Semi Finals with a deep single to the fence in left field. The walk-off single gave the Rebels the win, 9-8.

It was a real battle and an even matchup. The two teams each had 8 hits in the game. The Rebels had 4 errors, the Lions had 3. The difference in the game started with walks. The Lions walked 10 Rebel hitters and hit two more. Krew Schneider walked just 3. The passed balls and wild pitches really moved Rebel runners around the bases. Krew Schneider got the win, pitching all 8 innings striking out 8 hitters and allowing just 1 earned run. Carter Hanson had 2 hits in the game and drove in two runs for the Rebels. The bottom 5 hitters in the Rebel batting order scored 6 of the team’s 9 total runs. The Rebels advanced to take on the Madelia Blackhawks on Friday.