The Bulldogs raised their winning streak to seven games with a 12-2 conference victory at LPGE on Thursday and a sweep of Eagle Valley and Rockford at a tournament in Paynesville on Saturday.The Bulldogs, now 12-2 overall, used strong pitching to win the three-team tournament on Saturday. With the wind blowing in from center field, conditions were favorable for pitching, and seniors Doug Fuchs and Nathan Schutz took advantage.
Senior Justin Mackedanz steps on second after fielding a ground ball and fires to first to complete a double play against Eagle Valley Saturday. Shortstop Curtis Christian circles behind the bag.
In the opener, a 7-2 victory against Eagle Valley, Fuchs pitched a complete game five-hitter. He allowed two runs, but neither was earned. He struck out six.
Eagle Valley took a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the first, but Adam Miller singled, Chris Rohe doubled, and Justin Mackedanz drove in the Bulldogs' first run with a hit to tie the game 1-1.
In the fourth, Rohe walked and came around to score courtesy of two Eagle Valley errors, giving Paynesville a 2-1 lead.
The Bulldogs broke the game open with a five-run fifth. With Fuchs and Miller on base, Rohe, despite the wind, blasted a drive down the left field line that stayed fair for a three-run homer. The Bulldogs stringed together some more hits and benefitted from miscues to plate two more runs in the fifth. Troy Schmidt and Jon Lieser had the RBIs.
Rohe, Fuchs, Miller, and Mackedanz each had two hits for the Bulldogs.
| Eagle Valley-- | 100 | 001 | 0 | - 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Paynesville-- | 010 | 150 | x | - 7 | 11 | 3 |
Eagle Valley - Batting: Charlie Worda 2-3; Runs: March 2; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) John Kassabie (L) (7-11-7-5-0-2) .
Paynesville - Batting: Rohe 2-2 2B, HR; Miller 2-3; Justin Mackedanz 2-3 2B; Doug Fuchs 2-4; Jon Lieser 1-3; Troy Schmidt 1-3; Ben Bork 1-4; Runs: Rohe 2; Miller 2; Fuchs; Christian; Mackedanz; RBI: Rohe 3; Lieser; Mackedanz; Schmidt; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Fuchs (W) (7-4-2-0-1-6).
Paynesville 5
Rockford 1
Against Rockford, the Bulldogs took an early lead and rode the strong pitching performance of Nathan Schutz to victory.
Playing as visitors due to the tournament format, Ben Bork led off the top of the first with a single and stole second. He scored on Scott Braun's single, and Braun scored on Fuchs' double for a 2-0 lead.
The score remained there until the fifth inning, when the Bulldogs strung together four hits and scored three runs. Miller led off with a double and scored on Rohe's single. Rohe scored on a hit by Curtis Christian. Shaun Fleischhacker had the fourth hit, and aggressive base running by Christian caused the Rockets to throw the ball away and allow the fifth run to score.
Schutz was in complete command on the mound until the sixth, when three consecutive singles allowed one run to score. For the game, Schutz yielded only four hits total. He struck out eight. He needed only four pitches to retire the side in the bottom of the second.
The Bulldogs played errorless defense against Rockford.
| Paynesville-- | 200 | 003 | 0 | - 5 | 8 | 0 |
| Rockford-- | 000 | 001 | 0 | - 1 | 4 | 2 |
Paynesville - Batting: Ben Bork 2-4; Scott Braun 1-3; Doug Fuchs 1-3 2B; Adam Miller 1-3 2B; Chris Rohe 1-2; Curtis Christian 1-3; Runs: Bork; Braun; Miller; Rohe; Christian; RBI: Braun; Fuchs; Rohe; Christian; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Schutz (W) (7-4-1-1-1-8).
Rockford - Batting: Mike Holman 2-3; Brent Loney 1-3 R; Kevin Schug 1-3 RBI; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Mahlitisch (L) (7-8-5-4-0-2) .
Paynesville 12
LPGE 2
The Bulldogs beat LPGE 12-2 in five innings for their sixth conference victory on Thursday.
At LPGE, the Bulldogs jumped ahead with a run in the first and five in the second. The took a 12-0 lead with six in the fourth.
LPGE scored two in the bottom of the fourth, but it wasn't enough, as the ten-run rule was invoked after five innings.
The Bulldogs had nine hits, and they benefitted greatly from seven walks issued by Thunder pitchers. In the second, Shaun Fleischhacker, Ben Bork, and Scott Braun drove home a run with a bases loaded walk. Doug Fuchs added a two-run single.
In the fourth, the Bulldogs loaded the bases again, and Justin Mackedanz had an RBI single, Fleischhacker drew another bases-loaded walk, and Bork had an RBI single.
Curtis Christian and Justin Mackedanz had two hits for Paynesville. Bork, Braun, Fuchs, and Fleischhacker drove home two runs each. Bork scored three runs, and Jon Lieser, Christian, Nathan Schutz, and Fleischhacker scored two apiece.
On the mound, Jon Lieser pitched five innings for the victory. He allowed four hits, one earned run, and struck out five.
The Bulldogs are now 6-1 and lead the West Central Conference North.
| Paynesville-- | 150 | 60 | - 12 | 9 | 1 | |
| LPGE-- | 000 | 20 | - 2 | 4 | 2 |
Paynesville - Batting: Curtis Christian 2-4; Justin Mackedanz 2-3; Bork 1-2; Braun 1-2; Rohe 1-3; Schutz 1-3; Fuchs 1-4; Runs: Bork 3; Lieser 2; Christian 2; Schutz 2; Fleischhacker 2; Rohe; RBI: Bork 2; Braun 2; Fuchs 2; Fleischhacker 2; Mackedanz; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Lieser (W) (5-4-2-1-0-5).
LPGE - Batting: Dan Urman 2-2 R; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Troy Tschida (L) (1.1-1-3-3-3-1); Darrell Baum (2.2-7-9-6-4-1); Ryan Tschida (1-1-0-0-0-1).