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Derek Kluis -
Teague Meyer -
Christian Tentinger
First Round:
MCC 7, RRC/WWG 0
Second Round:
MCC 7, TMB 8 Abe Paulzine threw a shutout to lead MCC past RRC/WWG 7-0 in the first round of the section playoffs.
MCC got things started in the first inning when Paulzine’s sac fly scored Derek Kluis. Both offenses would be held scoreless in the second inning, until MCC’s Teague Meyer stole third and scored on some great aggressive base running!
Paulzine kept the Falcons hitters off-balance in the middle innings, waiting for the Rebels offense to strike again. And again it did, in the bottom of the fourth with two more runs. Christian Tentinger singled, driving in Carter Benda and Abe Paulzine doubled, driving in Tentinger to go up 4-0.
Paulzine put together a 1-23 top of the fifth and struck out two more in the top of the sixth, then pitched a flyout to get the Rebels into the bottom of the sixth where the offense would put up another crooked number.
Tentinger started the inning with a single. Paulzine got hit by a pitch to put two on for Jaden Deacon. Deacon delivered a double, scoring Tentinger and courtesy runner Teague Meyer. Later in the inning, Krew Schneider lined a single into the outfield, scoring Deacon to put the Rebels up 7-0.
Paulzine would face four batters in the top of the seventh to end the game 7-0 pushing the Rebels into the second round where they would face TMB.
TMB was the 6th seed and would upset the 3 seed Minneota in a marathon game, 10 innings to be precise in an exciting game. This game against the Rebels would supply plenty of excitement itself, as both teams want to go into the next round in the undefeated bracket.
TMB took advantage of walks, hit batsmen, and errors in the first inning to go up 2-0. Dylan Kluis faced eight batters in the top half of the inning. MCC looked to answer back by starting off the bottom half of the inning with a hit batsmen and a single, but a pop out and a double play would ensue and end the Rebels threat in its tracks.
The Rebels faced five more Panther batters in the second, but got out of the inning without surrendering any runs.
Jaden Deacon led off the bottom half of the inning with a single and after an infield error, Dylan Kluis advanced Deacon and Connor DeGreeff to second and third. Aidan Dierks stepped up to the plate and delivered a sacrifice fly, allowing Deacon to tag up and score. Teague Meyer courtesy ran for the pitcher, Dylan Kluis and again was a terror on the base paths, scoring a run off a Tanner Graphenteen base knock to tie the game at 2.
The top of the third started with a single, but the hitter advanced to second on a throwing error. This would come back to bite the Rebels, as even though Kluis struck out three in the inning, one single would drive in the run and the Panthers retook the lead.
The Rebels did not score in the bottom half and TMB brought in two more runs in the top of the fourth. A lead off walk, followed by a single, put runners on first and third. A ground ball to third gave the Rebels a chance to cut off the runner at home, but MCC went to first base and got an out there, surrendering a run. Another single later in the inning, drove in a second run to put TMB up 5-2.
The Rebels, however, answered quickly in the bottom of the fourth, as Connor DeGreeff reached base to start the inning and Dylan Kluis delivered a homerun to right field! Dierks came to the plate next and delivered a single to start a new rally. Tanner Graphenteen sacrifice bunted Dierks to second. Carter Benda got hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with one out, but the double play bug would bite again and Derek Kluis hit a sharp ball to third to ground into the dreaded inning ending double play.
Dylan and Derek Kluis would record pitching outs in the top of the fifth as the older brother relieved Dylan for his first pitching appearance since a shoulder injury. Derek struck out his first batter and recorded the third out in exciting fashion.
The Rebels then used that energy to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth, as Connor DeGreeff singled in Abe Paulzine who had reached on a single and advanced on a throwing error by the Panthers shortstop. Jaden Deacon advanced him to third on a lined shot to the outfield and Paulzine tagged up.
Derek Kluis mowed through the top of the sixth 1-2-3, recording two strikeouts and a pop out and the Rebels took the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a two out rally. Carter Benda singled and Derek Kluis mashed a triple, scoring Benda from first.
The top of the seventh started with an error at third and a walk. Not how you want to start any inning, this was followed by a sacrifice bunt, as Kluis recorded the out from the mound. Both runners advanced. He recorded the next out as he made a great fielding play on the mound and cut down the runner at home. With runners at first and second base, Kluis delivered on a strikeout, but the ball was in the dirt and the runner made it to first base without a throw. TMB took advantage of two fielding errors, to score two runs and take an 8-6 lead. Kluis struck out the next Panther batter to end the inning.
The Rebels did not give up, as they would score in the bottom half of the seventh. Jaden Deacon reached on a walk and later scored on a Dylan Kluis single. Krew Schneider hit a sharp single as well, advancing pinch runner Teague Meyer to second base. Unfortunately, that is where the runners would stay. The Rebels did not advance the runners and ended the game on a strikeout.
