sports

SACRED HEART BASEBALL LOSES HEART BREAKER TO NY MILLS IN 3RD PLACE GAME

June 15, 2022

The Sacred Heart Eagles Baseball team wrapped up the 2022 season with a heartbreaking loss as the New York Mills Eagles scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to the Minnesota State High School League State Class A Baseball tournament third-place game 9-8 at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud.

FIRST INNING –
Cullen Rohrich started the top of the first inning by walking down to the third base to give Head Coach Paul Bethke a hug in the third base coaches box. Rohrich led off with a five-pitch walk. Parker Erickson doubled and runners were at second and third with nobody out. Sam Gapp walked to load the bases before Ethan Arntson singled in two runs for a 2-0 lead. Nick Brundin walked and Caden Reimer reached on fielder’s choice that allowed another run to score for a 3-0 lead. Isaac Zavoral followed with a two-run double to give Sacred Heart a big 5-0 lead to start the game.
New York Mills’ Bren Salo walked with one out to start a counter rally in the bottom of the inning. After a ground out, Bode Roberts walked and bases were loaded after a fielder’s choice came up empty and everybody was safe. Breck Mensch doubled to the gap to score two runs to bring New York Mills within a 5-2 deficit after one inning of play.

SECOND INNING –
Sacred Heart added another run in the second inning with two outs. Sam Gapp singled, stole second base, and scored on an Arntson single for a 6-2 lead.
New York Mills continued to chip away at the Sacred heart lead with a leadoff single from Will Oakes and after two outs, Salo walked and Jonah Johnson singled to score a run. Roberts walked to load the bases and Brayden Ehnert walked to score a run to get within a 6-4 deficit after two innings.

THIRD INNING –
Sacred Heart’s Isaac Zavoral singled with one out before the next two batters were retired.
New York Mills continued their comeback as Oakes singled, Jonah Ruther reached on a fielder’s choice. Jacob Guck singled to score a run and Ben Salo singled to score another run to tie the game at 6-6.

FOURTH INNING-
Neither team scored in the fourth inning with Sacred Heart retired in 1-2-3 fashion while New York Mills had one hit in the inning and the game was tied 6-6 after four innings.

FIFTH INNING-
Sacred Heart took the lead with a two-out rally in the fifth inning. Caden Reimer reached on a fielder’s choice and Zavoral singled. Breck Bloom hit a line drive to the left-center field gap for a triple to score two runs for an 8-6 lead.
New York Mills countered in the bottom of the inning with a lead-off single by Jonah Ruther and an rbi triple by Guck. Another run scored on a fielder’s choice and the game was tied at 8-8 after five innings.

SIXTH INNING –
Neither team scored in the sixth inning with Sacred Heart retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
New York Mills didn’t score a run in the bottom of the inning, and the teams were tied at 8-8 after six innings of play.

SEVENTH INNING –
Sacred Heart’s first two batters were retired before Caden Reimer singled. A few pitches later, Reimer’s pinch-runner was caught stealing, giving New York Mills a chance to win the game in the bottom of the inning.
New York Mills’ Guck started the bottom of the inning with a walk but was caught stealing a few pitches later. After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Johnson doubled and came into score on a single to centerfield by Roberts for a 9-8.

Sacred Heart ends the season with a record of 22-5 and a fourth-place finish and will say goodbye to the following seniors – Cullen Rohrich, Isaac Zavoral, Isaac Telle, Caden Reimer, Landon Walker, Sam Gapp, Nick Brundin, and Levi Dallum.
New York Mills finishes the season with a record of 24-4 and a third-place finish.

For Coach Paul Bethke’s postgame comments, click below.

Box Score	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Sacred Heart	5	1	0	0	2	0	0	8	10	1
NY Mills	2	2	2	0	2	0	1	9	13	1

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K
Isaac Zavoral – SH	1.2	5	4	4	5	1
Ethan Arntson – SH	4.1	6	4	4	0	1
Breck Bloom – SH (LP)	0.2	2	1	1	1	1
Brayden Ehnert – NYM	0.0	2	5	5	3	0
Bren Salo – NYM	5.0	7	3	3	0	4
Cody Barthel – NYM (WP)	2.0	1	0	0	0	0