Pirates are headed to State Tourney
With spot already secured, they face Jordan for Region Championship
For the first time since 2017, the Blue Earth Pirates have earned a spot in the Class C Minnesota Baseball Association (MBA) State Tournament.
The Pirates knocked off Gaylord 4-1 on Tuesday, Aug. 8, in Region 6C action. Their victory over the Islanders means they will be either the No. 1 or No. 2-seeded team coming out of Region 6C. Blue Earth was set to play Jordan in Mankato on Saturday night to determine the final seedings.
The Pirates took an early lead against the Islanders. Although the game was played in Gaylord, Blue Earth was the home team on the scoreboard and pushed two runs across the plate in the bottom of the first inning.
Cody Sukalski, Parker Meyers and Hunter Bleess all singled to load the bases. Brandyn Olsen singled past the second baseman to score two runs and put Blue Earth on top 2-0.
The Islanders scored one run in the top of the fourth inning to cut the Pirates’ lead in half.
The score remained 2-1 in favor of Blue Earth until the bottom of the seventh inning when the Pirates added two more runs to their total to take a 4-1 lead.
Sukalski was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Bleess, who went 3-for-3 in the game and had one walk, singled to put two men on base.
Olsen hit into a fielder’s choice with Sukalski getting thrown out at home plate. A single by Kane Malo brought home Bleess and Olsen and gave the Pirates a three-run cushion.
Starting pitcher Kade Hobbs picked up the win. He pitched six and a third innings and gave up one unearned run on four hits. He walked three batters and struck out four. Sukalski was credited with the save after holding the Islanders scoreless in two and two thirds innings of work. He gave up two hits and struck out two batters.
This year’s MBA State Tournament begins on Aug. 18 and concludes in early September. It is the 100th Annual MBA State Amateur Baseball Tournament. Games will be played in one of four stadiums. Delano Municipal Ballpark in Delano, Saints Field in Dassel and Optimist Park in Litchfield will host most of the games. Waconia may host some games if necessary.
The seedings and brackets were released after all the Region games were completed on Sunday, Aug. 13. To find out when and where the Pirates play, go to mbastate2023.com
Pirates 5, Braves 4
The Blue Earth Pirates opened Region 6C playoff action with a 5-4 triumph over the Le Sueur Braves in 14 innings. The game was played in Jordan on Saturday, Aug. 5.
Blue Earth came into the playoffs as the No. 1-seeded team out of the 13/60 League while Le Sueur was the fourth seed out of the River Valley League.
The Braves took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a three-run homer off of Pirates’ starter Lee Hodges.
Blue Earth tied the game in the bottom of the third inning. The Pirates loaded the bases with two outs before Brandyn Olsen drew a base on balls to drive in the first run. Hodges was up next and helped his own cause when he singled to knock in two runs and tie the game 3-3.
Neither team would score again until the 12th inning.
The Braves scored an unearned run when an error by the Pirates resulted in the ball going out of play.
Trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the inning, Le Sueur retired the first two Blue Earth batters and needed only one more out to secure the win.
Olsen kept the game going when he singled and Hodges followed with another single to put two Pirates on base. Logan O’Hara delivered a clutch single to bring home Olsen with the tying run. Garrett Anderson almost ended the game when he hit a line drive towards the gap but the Braves’ centerfielder made a great catch to send the game to the 13th inning.
Neither team scored in the 13th inning and the Pirates held the Braves scoreless in the top of the 14th.
Hunter Bleess led off the bottom of the 14th inning with a single. Olsen got another base hit to give the Pirates two base runners. At that point Le Sueur decided to make a pitching change.
Hodges came to the plate and was hit by a pitch to load the bases with zero outs. The Braves got the next batter out before they walked Anderson to bring Bleess home with the winning run.
“I can’t say enough about our pitching,” Olsen said. “Lee gave up those three runs in the first inning but then settled in and pitched great to keep us in the game. Cody Sukalski pitched three solid innings and only gave up an unearned run and Anderson looked sharp pitching the final two innings.”
Olsen added that even though it was a long game, it was worth it to get the win.
“We had our chances to score during the game but we just could not get the hit when we needed it,” he commented. “But, again, we won and that is what counts.”
Blue Earth was the only team from the 13/60 League to win in the first round as the teams from the River Valley League won the other three games. Gaylord defeated Morristown 4-0, Belle Plaine downed Waterville 5-2 and Jordan was victorious over Waseca 7-1.