NYM to face Sauk Centre in Region 11C semi-finals

Photos by Chad Koenen
Brandon Kupfer connects with this pitch and sent it over the fence for a solo home run on Saturday evening in Henning.

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Top seeded New York Mills trailed 3-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning to the Henning North Stars, but the Millers offense erupted for a combined eight runs in the seventh and eighth innings to come away with a commanding 10-3 win on Saturday night.

Skylar Mursu bare hands a ball near the third base line and throws out a Henning North Stars runner at first base on Saturday night.

A solo home run by Nick Lindberg of Henning put the North Stars in front 1-0 in the top of the first inning, before Brandon Kupfer tied the game at 1-1 with a solo home run of his own in the bottom of the second inning. The score remained tied at 1-1 until the top of the seventh inning when Lindberg hit a two-run double down the right field line to bring Ryan Despard and Owen Harig across the plate to give Henning a 3-2 lead. 

The lead would be short-lived as Zach Hocking led off the seventh inning with a walk, before Finn Roder reached base on a bunt single. Derin Gaudette tied the game at 3-3 when he followed with an RBI single, before Logan Small put the Millers in front 4-3 with a one out single of his own. Gaudette would later score on a passed ball to give NY Mills a 5-3 lead heading into the final two innings of action.

Photos by Chad Koenen
Austin Maneval pitched seven strong innings to pick up the 10-3 win on the mound on Saturday.

DaShaun Robinson took over for Austin Maneval on the mound and struck out three of the four hitters he faced in the eighth inning, before NY Mills scored five more runs in the eighth inning to come away with the win. Among the highlights of the inning was a bases loaded walk by Gaudette to force in a run, before Jonah Johnson connected with a grand slam home run to put the Millers up 10-3. 

Robinson struck out two of the three hitters he faced in the ninth inning to come away with a two inning save. 

Johnson led the way offensively as the center fielder went 3-5 with four RBIs and a grand slam. Roder also collected a pair of hits and score three runs in the win.

Derin Gaudette connects with a pitch during Saturday’s game against Henning.

Maneval collected the win on the hill as he went seven innings, giving up eight hits, three runs of which two were earned and struck out seven hitters. Robinson pitched two innings and struck out five hitters and walked one, while not giving up a hit to collect the save. 

With the win the Millers advance to the Region 11C semi-finals and will take on the Resorters League second place team of Sauk Centre on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Perham. Sauk Centre advanced to the semi-finals with a 5-3 win over Deer Creek on Saturday. The winner of the game will advance to the 11C championship and will take on either Urbank or Perham on Saturday, Aug. 9 at 1 p.m. in Perham. The loser of Saturday’s game will take on the winner of Ashby and Clarissa on Sunday at 12 p.m. in Perham in the elimination bracket. 

New York Mills Millers

AB R H     BI

Derin Gaudette 3 2 1 2

Jonah Johnson 5 1 3 4

Logan Small 5 0 1 1

Brayden Ehnert 4 0 1 0

Brandon Kupfer 5 1 1 1

Adam Patron 4 0 0 0

Skylar Mursu 4 0 1 0

Bergen Roder 0 1 0 0

Grady Roberts 0 0 0 0

Zach Hocking 2 1 0 0

Teagan Lausten 0 1 0 0

Finn Roder 3 3 2 0

HITTING- 2B- Brayden Ehnert, Jonah Johnson

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-k)- Austin Maneval 7.0-8-3-2-0-7, DaShaun Robinson 2.0-0-0-0-1-5