Faribault Lakers Baseball: Lakers rally late to defeat Dundas 9-8

Dundas is known as the Town of Baseball. Rightfully so. The pedigree and tradition of Dukes baseball in Dundas is known and respected by all those in the amateur baseball community. On Wednesday night however, the Town of Baseball become Upset City as the Faribault Lakers knocked off the Dukes scoring a run in the eighth to take the lead and holding on to win 9-8

Grant Koch, fresh off of his high school career, got his first start on the mound as a Laker. The Dukes nicked him for a run in the first inning. Tate Journell walked, stole second base and scored on a one out single from Kyle Hrncir.

The Lakers bounced back in the second innings. Mason Conrad led off with a single and advanced to third on a Dylan O'Neil double. Back to back singles by Koch and Zander Fitzsimmons gave the Lakers a 2-1 lead. 

In the last of the third, the Dukes took the lead back. Journell reached again, on a single. In a rare baseball feat, back to back triples by Hrncir and Austin Koep put the Dukes back on top 3-2.

But the Lakers took the lead back with single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Drew Conrad was hit by a pitch, advanced to second. On an infield single by Aiden Tobin, Conrad kept running from second base and scored. In the fifth, Mason Conrad walked, advanced to third on an O'Neil double and scored on a wild pitch to the give the Lakers a 4-3 lead. Drew Conrad reached on an error, advanced to third and scored on an errant throw on an Aiden Tobin steal of second base to give the Lakers a two run lead. 

Dundas drew within a run in their half of the sixth and took the lead in  the seventh. Ryan Cahoon reached on a walk with one out and scored on a two out single by Jack Alley in the sixth. Hrncir walked, stole second and tied the game scoring on a Haydn Lanoue single. Lanoue scored later in the inning on an infield single by Nolan Rolloff to give the Dukes the lead. Two batters later Alley singled to drive in two runs to give the Dukes an 8-5 lead. 

The Lakers weren't going to go down. In the eighth inning, Drew Conrad walked and scored three batters later on an Austin Rendler single. Two walks brought in another run as Adam Vos drew a bases loaded walk. Fitzsimmons followed with an infield single to tie the game.

In the ninth, Tobin walked, stole second and eventually scored on an opposite field single by Rendler and the Lakers had found their selves a 9-8 lead. 

In the last of ninth with Vos in his second inning of work, Rolloff led off and reached on a hit by pitch. With Rolloff on the run to second, a Matthew Kuelesa pop out was caught by Tobin and Rolloff was doubled off at first. Alley who picked up the loss in relief was barely retired on a ground out to Fitzsimmons to end the game. 

Jamie's Deliverymen of the Game:

1. Austin Rendler, Faribault,  Rendler may have only had two of the hits for Faribault but they came at a crucial time. His single in the eighth drove in a run and eventually became the tying run. The opposite field single in the ninth drove in what became the winning run.

2. Dylan O'Neil, Faribault. O'Neil went 3-4 with two doubles, two walks, and a run scored.

3. Adam Vos, Faribault. Vos was able shut down the Dukes in the eighth and ninth innings allowing no hits, walking two and striking out one to get the win.

Notes:

Shout out to Grant Koch who pitched into the sixth inning in his first start as a Laker. On  a night where there were not many options for pitchers, Koch threw well against a team where it could be very intimidating to make your first start. Also a mention to Mason Conrad who reached five out of six times at the plate going 2-3, walking three times and scoring a pair of runs.

The Lakers will be home this weekend. First on Friday night, St. Benedict will come to Bell Field for a 7:30 start. Sunday the Lakers and Montgomery meet up once again, this time at Bell Field, 2:00 first pitch.