The Luverne Cardinals suffered their first loss of the season this past week against Blue Earth Area on Thursday, May 6.
Despite that loss the Cardinals still went 2-1 this past week and improved to 12-1 overall.
Blue Earth 11, LHS 5
The Cardinals were handed their first loss of the season on Thursday, May 6, when they fell to Blue Earth Area 11-5 in Luverne.
The Cardinals committed seven errors in the loss, and those costly mistakes came back to haunt the home team.
Luverne scored one run in the bottom of the first and added two more runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-0 lead.
Blue Earth got on the board with one run in the top of the third to trim Luverne’s lead to 3-1.
The visitors added two more runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 3-3.
Luverne reclaimed the lead with one run in the bottom of the fifth.
Blue Earth evened the score at 4-4 by scoring one run in the top of the sixth.
The Cardinals tallied one run in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-4 lead into the final frame.
That’s where the wheels came off for the home team. Blue Earth scored seven runs in the top of the seventh to take an 11-5 lead into the bottom half of the inning.
The Cardinals were unable to answer back and lost 11-5.
Cade Wenninger hit a triple and drove in two runs for the Cardinals.
Braydon Ripka collected two hits, including a double.
BEA 0 0 1 0 2 1 7 11 13 0
LHS 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 5 10 7
Batting: Wenninger 1-4, Beyer 1-3, Sehr 2-4, Ripka 2-3, Bosch 1-4, Anderson 1-3
Doubles: Ripka
Triples: Wenninger
RBI: Wenninger 2; Beyer; Sehr; Connell
LHS 25, Blue Earth 0
The Cardinals jumped all over Blue Earth in the second game of the doubleheader. Luverne scored 10 runs in the first inning.
The Cardinals added two more runs in the second inning to take a 12-o lead into the third inning.
In the third inning it was another offensive onslaught for the Cardinals. The Cardinals scored eight runs to take a 20-0 lead.
In the fourth inning the Cardinals tacked on five more runs to take a 25-0 lead.
As a team the Cardinals recorded 19 hits and limited Blue Earth to four hits.
Ethan Beyer led the way for the Cardinals with four hits, including three doubles. Beyer also drove in a team-leading five runs.
Casey Sehr recorded three hits and drove in four runs.
Connor Connell recorded two hits and drove in four runs.
On the mound, Connell pitched five innings and recorded six strikeouts.
LHS 10 2 8 5 0 25 19 1
BEA 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Batting: Cowell 2-3, Wenninger 2-4, Beyer 4-4, Sehr 3-5, Connell 2-2, Ripka 1-3, Bosch 1-4, Anderson 2-2, Behrend 1-1, Sneller 1-2
Doubles: Behrend, Sehr, Anderson, Ripka, Beyer 3
RBI: Cowell 2; Wenninger 3; Beyer 5; Sehr 4; Connell 4; Ripka 2; Anderson 3, Sneller 2
Pitching: Connell 5 IP, 6 K
LHS 24, Adrian 3
The Cardinals used a 14-run second inning to pick up a 24-3 victory over Adrian on Monday, May 10, in Luverne.
Adrian scored two runs in the first inning. The Cardinals avoided further damage as the Dragons left the bases loaded.
Bailey Cowell started the first inning off reaching second base, thanks to a throwing error.
A passed ball allowed Cowell to advance to third base.
Cowell then crossed home plate due to another throwing error.
Casey Sehr recorded an RBI single with one out to tie the game at 2-2.
Connor Overgaard hit an RBI double to make it 3-2.
The Dragons scored one run in the top of the second to tie the game at 3-3.
Logan Bosch, like Cowell in the first inning, reached first base thanks to a throwing error.
Wenninger hit an RBI double to give the Cardinals a 4-3 lead.
Beyer was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out.
Sehr hit a two-run single to put the Cardinals up 6-3.
Ripka hit an RBI single to push the Cardinals’ lead to 7-3.
With the bases loaded, Connell hit a two-run double to put the Cardinals up 9-3.
In his second at-bat of the inning, Bosch was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
The Cardinals went on to score five more runs in the inning to take a 17-3 lead into the third inning.
Luverne scored four runs in the third inning and three runs in the fourth inning to pick up the 24-3 victory.
By going 2-1, the Cardinals improved to 12-1 overall.
Adrian 2 1 0 0 0 3 8 7
LHS 3 14 4 3 x 24 13 1
Batting: Wenninger 2-3, Beyer 2-4, Sehr 3-4, Overgaard 1-3, Ripka 1-4, Connell 2-4, Anderson 1-2, Behrend 1-1
Doubles: Beyer, Wenninger, Connell 2, Overgaard