Class 2A baseball quarterfinals: St. Cloud Cathedral stops Blake

ST. CLOUD, MINN. – As a first-time entrant, Blake had overcome more than a few obstacles en route to the Class 2A baseball tournament. Defeating St. Cloud Cathedral, the most successful Class 2A program in the state, turned out to be one obstacle too many.

The Crusaders, playing on their home field, rode a masterful pitching performance by senior Jeff Fasching to defeat the Bears 5-1 in the Class 2A quarterfinals at Dick Putz Field on Thursday in St. Cloud.

Fasching, the son of St. John's University football coach Gary Fasching, allowed three hits and one run while striking out 11, improving his record to 9-0 this season. He hasn't lost since his sophomore season.

"Every time he's out there, our team feels like they have a great chance to win," said Cathedral coach Bob Karn, whose state-record career victory total increased to 709.

Brady Yoerg and Tom Imholte had two hits apiece for Cathedral (25-1). Blake (19-7) was plagued by mistakes, including four errors, and managed only six baserunners.

"You're not going to win many games if you only get one run," Blake coach George Blackwell said. "Their pitcher threw a great game. He is a three-pitch pitcher, and he had great command."

Glencoe-Silver Lake 4, Delano 3: According to coach Dean Schwirtz, the Panthers don't excel at anything.

Which pretty much sums up their victory over the Wright County Conference rival Tigers. Pitcher Cole Petersen battled through seven innings, walking six, but came up with enough big pitches to strike out 11 and keep Delano (16-10) at bay.

"That was nowhere near his best, but he still did enough to get us through," Schwirtz said. "You should see him when he's on."

The Panthers' hitters were equally opportunistic. They turned six hits and four walks from Delano pitcher Hunter Hart into enough offense to advance to the semifinals. Center fielder Carter Pinske had two hits and drove in two runs for the Panthers (18-4), and first baseman Nolan Lepel was 3-for-3 with an RBI.

Hart pitched a complete game, walking four and striking out five, and drove in all three Tigers runs.

But teammate Toby Hanson, one of the metro's most feared hitters with 13 home runs, was held in check, collecting one double.

Kasson-Mantorville 5, Hawley 3: The KoMets had been there before. Hawley had not. In the end, that mattered most.

The KoMets (22-4), the defending Class 2A champs, executed a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the sixth inning, leading to the game-winning runs.

With two on and no outs and the score tied 3-3, Kasson-Mantorville outfielder Alec Ehlke laid down a perfect bunt toward first base. The throw glanced off the glove of the second baseman, who was covering the base. Pinch runner Aaron Bergh scored on the misplay. Riley Knoepke then followed with an RBI single to account for the game's final run.

"Getting that bunt down was huge," Kasson-Mantorville coach Broc Threinen said. "Alec has been great in our short game all year."

Hawley (18-7) had the chance to take the lead in the top of the sixth in a similar circumstance, but the Nuggets didn't get the sacrifice bunt down and failed to score. Threinen credited the carry-over of his teams' 2013 experience as the difference.

Fairmont 7, Aitkin 0: Spencer Chirpich pitched a four-hit, complete-game shutout and shortstop Luke Becker went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a dazzling play in the field to pace the Cardinals (24-1).

The Gobblers (22-5), making their first state tournament appearance, had ace junior Jake Lynn on the mound, but even the 6-4, 215-pounder couldn't keep the Cardinals from their 24th consecutive victory.