Braves to play Monticello in state second round

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

A Brandon Kupfer solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the New York Mills Millers a 3-2 lead and helped the team win their first game at the state baseball tournament in 54 years. 

Kupfer’s solo home run came on the heels of a 2-run bottom of the seventh inning when Derin Gaudette hit a 2-run double to score Adam Patron, who scored with two outs and Colin Teich across the plate. The hit tied the game at 2-2 after the Millers went the first five innings without a hit in the game. They needed just four hits in the entire game to come away with their first win at the state tournament since 1969. 

Regal opened the game in the top of the fourth inning when they loaded the bases with nobody out. Three straight singles started the rally, before Adian Beldon’s squeeze bunt brought Nathan Meyer across the plate for a 1-0 lead. Regal would later score their second run of the game on an RBI single to take a 2-0 lead. 

The game remained at 2-0 until the bottom of the seventh inning when Gaudette hit a game-tying 2-run double with two outs to give the Millers a big shot in the arm. 

Nick Lindberg, who is a draftee from the Vergas Loons, picked up the win on the mound for the Millers. Lindberg went 3 innings and gave up just 1 hit in relief of starter Austin Maneval and reliever Chas Melvin of Perham. 

Kupfer led the way offensively for the Millers with 2 of the teams 4 hits, while Gaudette finished with a double and Patron hit a single in the win. 

With the win the Millers, who have advanced to the state tournament for the fourth time in seven years, will take on Region 11 champion Sartell on Sunday at 4:40 p.m. in Litchfield. The winner of the game will take on either Maple Lake or Courtland on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 4:30 p.m. in Delano.

NYM Milers vs Regal Eagles

AB R H     BI

Derin Gaudette 3 0 1 2

Jacob Guck 4 0 0 0

Brandon Kupfer 3 1 2 1

Finn Roder 0 0 0 0

Brayden Ehnert 3 0 0 0

Jonah Johnson 4 0 0 0

Austin Maneval 4 0 0 0

Hunter Holtti 0 0 0 0

Maison Roberts 2 0 0 0

Teagan Lausten 0 0 0 0

Adam Patron 2 0 1 0

Braxton Ehnert 0 1 0 0

Collin Teich 1 1 0 0

Dashaun Robinson 0 0 0 0

Nicholas Lindberg 0 0 0 0

HITTING- 2B- Derin Gaudette, HR- Brandon Kupfer

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-k)- Austin Maneval 3.1-6-2-2-1-0, Chas Melvin 2.2-1-0-0-1-0, Nicholas Lindberg 3-1-0-0-1-0

Bluffton Braves opponent announced

The Region 14C champion Bluffton Braves received a bye in the first round of the state tournament and will take on the Monticello Polecats, who finished in fourth place in Region 11 on Friday, Aug. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Litchfield. The Polecats advanced to the second round after defeating the Raymond Rockets by a score of 4-0 in the opening round of the tournament. 

The Braves recently won their fifth consecutive Region 14C tournament and advanced to the Round of 16 in last year’s state baseball tournament.