Pirates defeat Gators, upset Braves
The two wins guarantee the team a spot in the Region playoffs

Kane Malo, right, was flawless in the field while picking up three hits during the Blue Earth Pirates’ 10-4 triumph over the North Mankato Gators on July 22.
The Blue Earth Pirates opened the playoffs with two wins to earn a spot in the Region 6C playoffs. But first, they played Waterville on Saturday, July 29, to determine who will receive the No. 1-seed out of the 13/60 League. Results of that game will appear in next week’s edition of the Faribault County Register.
Blue Earth won their first playoff game against the North Mankato Gators, 10-4, on Saturday, July 22. Then, the following day they defeated the Waseca Braves 5-4 to guarantee their spot in the Regions.
Blue Earth 5, Waseca 4
The third time proved to be the charm for the Pirates when they took on the Braves in Waseca on July 23, in a playoff game.
In two regular-season meetings this year, Blue Earth had failed to score a run against Waseca and lost to the Braves 6-0 on May 24, and 10-0 on June 21.
However, this time the Pirates scored the first run of the game and went on to defeat the Braves 5-4.
Blue Earth scored one run in top of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. They added another run in the top of the fourth before Waseca countered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2.
The Pirates regained the lead with three runs in the top of the fifth while the Braves scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to leave Blue Earth on top 5-4 after five complete innings. Neither team would score during the rest of the game and the Pirates went home with a 5-4 victory.
Blue Earth’s Kade Hobbs picked up the win. In seven innings of work he gave up seven hits and four runs, three earned. He walked four batters and struck out five.
Cody Sukalski pitched two innings of relief to pick up the save. Sukalski did not give up a run or a hit while striking out four batters. He did not issue a walk.
Brandyn Olsen and Parker Meyers each had two hits for the Pirates, who tallied nine total hits during the game.
Meyers, Olsen, Lee Hodges, Logan O’Hara and Kaylan Legred each had one RBI for Blue Earth.
Blue Earth 10, North Mankato 4
The Pirates opened the playoffs with a 10-4 triumph over the Gators of North Mankato on July 22. The two teams had met once during the regular season and Blue Earth was the winner in that game 9-6.
A couple of veteran Pirates played a big role in the team’s playoff victory. Thirty nine year-old Lee Hodges went the distance on the mound to pick up the win and 46 year-old Kane Malo went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs batted in while playing flawless defense at third base.
The playoff game was played in Minnesota Lake and the Pirates were the visiting team on the scoreboard.
Brandyn Olsen gave Blue Earth an early 1-0 lead when he hit a home run in the bottom of the first inning.
The Pirates’ lead did not last long. The Gators scored once in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at 1-1.
North Mankato scored twice in the bottom of the third inning to go on top 3-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, Logan O’Hara led off with a double off of the center field fence and advanced to third base courtesy of a sacrifice bunt by Zach Schonrock. A bloop double by Kaylan Legred brought home O’Hara with the Pirates’ second run.
Blue Earth still trailed 3-2 when they came to bat in the top of the seventh inning. By the time the Gators had recorded the third out of the inning, the Pirates had scored seven runs to take a 9-3 lead.
The inning began with Blue Earth loading the bases without getting a hit. Blake Boran was hit by a pitch and O’Hara and Schonrock both walked.
Legred’s sacrifice fly to center field scored Boran and the game was tied 3-3. A single by Parker Meyers plated O’Hara and the Pirates now led 4-3.
Schonrock came home on a wild pitch to make it 5-3 in favor of Blue Earth. After Hunter Bleess walked, the Gators changed pitchers.
Another walk, this one to Olsen, loaded the bases again. Malo’s single between the shortstop and the third baseman drove in Meyers and Bleess and extended the Pirates’ lead to 7-3.
An infield error and another wild pitch by the Gators allowed two more runs to score and put Blue Earth on top 9-3.
Each team scored one run in the ninth inning to make the final score 10-4 in favor of the Pirates.
Hodges allowed four earned runs while scattering seven hits. The veteran right-hander struck out 11 batters while walking only one.
“I felt pretty good out there once I got loose,” Hodges said.
In addition to Malo’s three hits, Olsen and O’Hara also had multiple-hit games with two hits each. The Pirates finished with a total of 11 hits.