The Pirates catcher Bob Olsen, above, dives in to try to tag a Minnesota Lake player out as he slides into home plate.

A long-standing winning tradition has been brought to an end for the Blue Earth Pirates baseball team.

The home team hosted Minnesota Lake Wednesday night, ending the game in a 7-5 loss for the Pirates.

But, it wasn’t an easy loss for the team to take given their history with Minnesota Lake.

“This is the first loss against Minnesota Lake we’ve had in probably 10 years,” team manager Todd Schmidtke says.

He says the opponents had strong hits and fast pitches which made them a tough match for the Pirates this year.

“No one likes to lose, but if we’re going to lose, at least it was to a good team,”?he adds.

Minnesota Lake put the first run on the board in the second inning. They brought two of their runners across home plate in the top of that inning.

The Pirates responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the second when Kane Malo scored their first run.

Both teams scored one more run each in the third inning and the Pirates managed to tie the score in the fourth inning, 3-3.

The Pirates broke the tie in the seventh inning when TJ Schmitdke and TJ Stallman crossed the plate for two runs.

With just two innings to go, it seemed that Blue Earth had the win. However, Minnesota Lake brought one run home in the eighth.

Minnesota Lake got the Pirates out in three and then went on to score three more runs in the ninth to pull into a 7-5 lead.

Blue Earth attempted to bring in runs in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases and putting Bob Olsen in the position for a run. Unfortunately, Minnesota Lake got Lee Hodges out when they caught his hit in centerfield.

Brandyn Olsen took the mound for the Pirates for the first seven innings. He allowed four runs off 10 hits and two walks. He had two strikeouts.

Hodges pitched the remaining two innings. He had four strikeouts and allowed three runs off of four hits and one walk.

TJ Schmidtke was 1 for 5 at bat and accounted for two of the Pirates’ runs.

Malo was 0 for 3 hitting and had two runs, he also took one base on balls.

Stallman was 1 for 4 hitting and had one run, one base on balls and one RBI.

Other hitters for the Pirates include; Trent Sonnicksen was 2 for 4 hitting with one base on balls; Bob Olsen was 1 for 4 with one base on balls and one RBI; Hodges was 1 for 3 with two bases on balls and one RBI; and Olsen who was 0 for 2 with one base on balls and had two RBIs.

The Pirates’ loss against Minnesota Lake puts their season record at seven wins and three losses.

Blue Earth played against Wells, the Cleveland Condors and the Cleveland Spiders after the Register’s deadline and the results will be in next week’s issue.

Blue Earth 5,

Morristown 3

The Pirates played against Morristown on Sunday, June 16 in Winnebago where they defeated the visitors 5-3.

Aaron Wendt pitched the first seven innings and allowed one run off four hits and one base on balls. He also had eight strikeouts.

Lee Hodges took the mound for the remaining two innings. He allowed two runs off of two hits and had five strikeouts.

TJ Schmidtke was 1 for 4 hitting, accounting for two runs. He also stole two bases.

Hodges was 1 for 2 hitting and had two bases on balls and two runs.

Aaron Wendt was 2 for 4 hitting and scored one run. He also had one RBI.

Bob Olsen was 1 for 3 hitting. He had one RBI?and stole one base.

Carter Hanson was 1 for 2 and hit one double and had two RBIs.