Blaine 4/27/2023
The Bengals and Crimson rip the ball around the park, but Blaine comes out on top
Box Score 4/27/2023
Blaine 7, Maple Grove 3
Blaine scored two early runs and never relinquished the lead over Maple Grove at Crimson Field. An early Garrett Staufacher two-run home run in the first inning provided the initial runs. And the Bengals followed that up with two more in the third and sixth, as well as a final run in the seventh.
The Crimson answered Blaine's two-run first with an early run of their own. Sam Kliber led off with a bunt single, Kaden Harney followed with a walk, Kliber stole third, and Hunter Gerber hit a sac fly to right to score MG's first run. After the Bengal's two-run third inning, the Crimson tallied two of their own with two outs in the fourth. After Nathan Schmidt's hot shot single, Vann Olson ripped a single of his own, and Dylan Vokal reached base on a hard shot that the third baseman couldn't handle. With the bases loaded, Sam Kliber slammed a two-strike pitch to left center for a two-run single.
With the score closed to 4-3, Maple Grove could never finish another rally and their run-total stayed at three, while Blaine picked up two of their final three via unearned runs. In the end, the Crimson matched the Bengal's ten hits, but committed four errors and could never quite close the deal. Highlights for MG included Kliber going 3/4 with 2 RBI and a run scored, Kellen Riskedahl going 2/4, and Schmidt going 2/3 with a run scored. Hunter Gerber started on the hill for the Crimson and took the loss. Cayden Vokal pitched the seventh, giving up zero hits, walking one, and allowing zero earned runs.