Braves to play Luverne on Saturday at state

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Fresh off their sixth straight region championship, the Bluffton Braves advanced to the final 16 teams after defeating the Monticello Polecats by a score of 9-3 on Friday. The two teams combined for 20 hits, but the Braves made the most of their 10 hits by plating runs in five innings as they qualified for the final weekend of amateur baseball next weekend. 

Monticello took an early lead in the top of the first inning when Brock Woitalla led off the game with a double in the top of the first inning. Jason Axelberg followed with an RBI single to put the Polecats up by a score of 1-0. 

The Braves didn’t waste any time in getting on the scoreboard themselves as Isaac Hamann reached on an error and Payton Rondesvedt walked to leave runners on first and second base with nobody out. Jake Dykhoff followed with an RBI single and Logan Pulju connected the first of his 3 RBIs in the game with a sacrifice fly to give the Braves a 2-1 lead. 

Just one inning later the Braves struck again when Kyle Dykhoff was hit to lead off the bottom of the second inning, before he scored on a Rondesvedt RBI single to give Bluffton a 3-1 lead. 

The Braves would add runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to take a 5-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning. That’s when Bluffton was able to break the game wide open with 4 runs after the first four hitters of the inning all reached base safely and crossed the plate. Rondesvedt brought 1 run across the plate, while Pulju hit a 2-run single to make the score 9-2 in favor of Bluffton.

Monticello scored 1 run in the top of the ninth inning, but the Braves were able to shut the door and advance to the final weekend of the town team state tournament.

Jake Dykhoff and Pulju led the way offensively with a pair of hits, while Pulju finished with 3 RBIs.

Jake Dykhoff was brilliant on the mound as he gave up 7 hits over 6 innings, but struck out 12 hitters and didn’t walk a batter in the game. Kolby Kiser, who is a draftee from Sebeka, pitched the final 3 innings of action and gave up 3 hits and 1 unearned run, while striking out 8 hitters of his own.

The Braves will now take on the Luverne Redbirds, who are the champions of Region 13. Luverne defeated the Plato Blue Jays in their opening round game by a score of 4-3 on Saturday. The winner of the game will take on either the Delano Athletics or Elrosa Saints on Sunday, Sept. 3 at 11 a.m. in Delano in the Class C quarterfinals. The state semi-finals will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday and the state finals will be held on Monday, Sept. 4 at 1 p.m. in Delano. 

Bluffton Braves vs.

Monticello Polecats

AB R H     BI

Isaac Hamann 3 2 1 0

Peyton Rondesvedt3 2 1 2

Jake Dykhoff 5 0 2 2

Justin Dykhoff 4 0 1 0

Logan Pulju 4 0 2 3

Josh Dykhoff 3 0 1 1

Austin Redemske 2 0 0 0

Wyatt Hamann 4 0 0 0

Kyle Dykhoff 3 1 1 0

Tyson Barthel 0 1 0 0

Connor Davis 2 2 1 0

Cody Geiser 0 0 0 0

Gabe Geiser 0 1 0 0

HITTING- 3B- Josh Dykhoff 

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-k)- Jake Dykhoff 6.0-7-2-2-0-12, Kolby Kiser 3.0-3-1-0-0-8