Eden Valley-Watkins applies pressure in rout

Eden Valley-Watkins senior Grant Warren received his home run ball after Friday's Class 1A state baseball tournament semifinal victory and was told it did not travel far over the left-field fence.

But Warren's homer added to an overall Eagles performance that left no doubt. The defending state champions beat Red Lake County 16-6 at the Mini Met in Jordan, earning a spot in next Tuesday's championship game against Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial at Target Field.

Pressure was the operative word in Eden Valley-Watkins' victory. The experienced Eagles applied it by scoring at least one run in all seven innings.

Conversely, the Rebels committed six errors and allowed three Eagles runners to score from third base on wild pitches.

"We've been here before in these pressure situations, and you've got to play through them," Warren said.

Warren's two-run homer highlighted a third inning in which Eden Valley-Watkins scored four times and surged to a 6-0 lead.

"We said, 'Let's cut their breath off and call it our game,' " Warren said.

Then pitcher Matt Geislinger, who held a perfect game through 6 1/3 innings of Thursday's quarterfinal, came on to finish the game. He set down the Rebels side in order twice, striking out two.

Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 5, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 1: Even after a passed ball put runners on second and third with two outs, Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial reliever Mitch Kelly felt confident.

"I always give our parents a little scare," Kelly said. "I'll load the bases and then get everyone to strike out or something."

Kelly coaxed a grounder to end Tracy-Milroy-Balaton's sixth-inning threat, then set the Panthers down in order in the seventh inning to close out a semifinal victory.

Bat in hand, Kelly also did some damage in the first inning. His two-out hit with bases loaded was misplayed by the Panthers' second baseman and ruled an error, which meant Kelly could not be credited for the resulting two runs scored.

Solid defense helped both Knights pitchers.