The Pirates’ Logan O’Hara connects with the ball for a hit during Blue Earth’s 5-4 win over Waseca on July 23. Blue Earth earned a No. 1-seed in the Region 6C Tournament with a 7-6 win over Waterville.

The Blue Earth Pirates pulled off their second consecutive upset win when they traveled to Waterville and defeated the Indians 7-6 on Saturday, July 29. With the win, the Pirates secured the No. 1-seed from the 13/60 League in the Region 6C playoffs which began on Saturday, Aug. 5.

“It was the first time we have beaten Waterville since 2016,” Pirates’ player-manager Brandyn Olsen said. “It was about time.”

Blue Earth scored four runs in the top of the first inning. After falling behind by two strikes, leadoff batter Cody Sukalski was hit by a pitch. He was eliminated on the basepaths when Parker Meyers hit into a fielder’s choice.

Hunter Bleess and Olsen followed with singles to load the bases. Kane Malo then hit a bases-clearing double to stake the Pirates to a 3-0 lead. Malo would make it 4-0 in the Pirates’ favor when he scored on a passed ball.

Blue Earth increased their lead to 6-0 in the top of the third inning courtesy of back-to-back home runs by Bleess and Olsen.

The Indians touched the Pirates’ starting pitcher, Kade Hobbs, for four runs in the bottom of the third inning to cut Blue Earth’s lead over Waterville to 6-4.

Sukalski took over on the mound in the bottom of the fourth inning and kept the Indians off of the scoreboard during his first two innings of work. Waterville broke through for two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to knot the game up at 6-6.

It did not take the Pirates long to retake the lead.

In the top of the seventh inning, Meyers tripled when the Indians’ outfielder made an unsuccessful diving attempt to catch the ball hit by Meyers. A wild pitch by Waterville allowed Meyers to score what proved to be the winning run.

“Mr. Reliable (Cody Sukalski) came in and pitched six great innings to help us get the win,” Olsen said. “The oldest player on the team (Malo) gets a big hit in the first inning and one of the young guys on the team (Meyers) hits a triple to put us in position to score the winning run. It was a great team effort.”

Waterville finished on top of the American Division in the 13/60 League with a league record of 11 wins and two losses. They won their first two playoff games against Minnesota Lake and Morristown before losing to Blue Earth.

The Pirates had earned the chance to take on the Indians for the right to be the No. 1-seeded team out of the 13/60 league when they defeated North Mankato 10-4 on July 22, and then were victorious over the National Division champion Waseca Braves on July 23, by a score of 5-4. The Braves had won the National Division regular season title with a record of 11-2. The Pirates had finished in third place with a 7-6 record.

Region 6C playoff action began on Saturday, Aug. 5, when the top four teams from the 13/60 League faced off against the top four teams from the River Valley League.

Saturday’s games on Aug. 5 had Blue Earth taking on Le Sueur at 1 p.m., Gaylord playing Morristown at 1:30 p.m., Waterville going up against Belle Plaine at 4:30 p.m. and Waseca battling Jordan at 7 p.m. All of the games were played in Jordan.

The tournament continued in Jordan on Sunday, Aug. 6, and will be completed on Saturday, Aug. 12. Three teams from the double-elimination tournament will qualify for the Class C State Tournament.