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 |
For Sacred Heart –
Isaac Zavoral – 3 for 3, 2 rbi, run, double
Ethan Arntson – 3 for 4, 3 rbi, run
For New York Mills –
Will Oakes – 3 for 4, 2 runs
Jacob Guck – 2 for 4, 2 rbi, run, walk
Cody Barthel – 2 for 4
