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Paynesville beat Willmar 18-2 and Bemidji 7-6 on Saturday at Minnewaska High School - between Glenwood and Starbuck - before losing 2-1 to ACGC in the championship on Sunday.

Paynesville trailed 1-0 to ACGC on Sunday after allowing an unearned run in the fifth inning. Paynesville struck in the seventh inning with Brett Savelkoul doubling to score Jake Deadrick, who had walked, to tie the game 1-1. Mike Wendlandt, who also had walked, tried to score the winning run when the ball got away from the ACGC catcher but was thrown out at home.

ACGC scored in the top of the eighth on a single and three-base error.

Keegan Meagher, who allowed only those two unearned runs while pitching a complete game, was the losing pitcher. He also had three hits.

Against Bemidji on Saturday, Paynesville rallied from a 6-1 deficit to win 7-6. Bemidji scored five runs in the top of the fourth to take a 6-1 lead. But Paynesville scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth and three in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game 6-6 and then won the game in the bottom of the seventh.

With one out in the seventh, Jake Deadrick was hit by a pitch, Nathan Nietfeld singled, and Josh Fenske was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jon Kerzman hit a grounder, and Deadrick beat the throw home for the winning run.

In the sixth inning, Deadrick, Fenske, and Colin Spooner all had hits and scored to tie the game.

In the fifth, Colby Peterson doubled and scored, and Fenske had an RBI single.

In the third, Paynesville scored its first run when Savelkoul doubled and Meagher singled.

Savelkoul, at shortstop, made a great play in the hole in the seventh inning, said coach Brad Skoglund. For the game, he was perfect fielding seven groundballs, including starting a 6-4-3 doubleplay.

Against Willmar, Paynesville led 10-2 before scoring eight runs in the top of the sixth inning, invoking the ten-run rule in winning 18-2. Paynesville had 16 hits in the game.

It was a great weekend of baseball, said Skoglund, especially to see the young players improve on the field.

The Junior Legion played at Annandale on Monday. They will play a doubleheader at Litchfield on Friday at 6 p.m.

Saturday

Paynesville--	300	526	x	- 18	16	2
Willmar--	001	020	x	- 2	6	4

Paynesville - Batting: Keegan Meagher 4-5 2B R-3 RBI-3; Brett Savelkoul 3-4 3B-2 R-3 RBI-2; Colin Spooner 3-4 R-3 RBI; Colby Peterson 2-3 R; Jake Deadrick 1-1 HR; Shane Kampsen 1-4 3B R-2 RBI; Nathan Nietfeld 1-3; Jon Kerzman 1-3 R; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Nietfeld (W) (5-5-2-1-1-5); Meagher (1-1-0-0-1-0).

Saturday

Bemidji --	010	500	0	- 6	9	1
Paynesville --	001	203	1	- 7	10	2

Paynesville - Batting: Colby Peterson 2-3 2B R; Jake Deadrick 2-3 2B R-2 RBI; Josh Fenske 2-3 R RBI; Nathan Nietfeld 1-2; Keegan Meagher 1-3 RBI; Colin Spooner 1-4 R; Brett Savelkoul 1-4 2B R; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Riley Sampson (W) (7-9-6-4-3-2).

Sunday

Paynesville--	000	000	10	- 1	8	3
ACGC --	000	010	01	- 2	7	1

Paynesville - Batting: Keegan Meagher 3-4 SB; Brett Savelkoul 2-4 2B RBI; Colin Spooner 2-4; Colby Peterson 1-3; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Meagher (L) (7-7-2-0-3-2).