Area baseball results from Monday, April 8th

The Lyle/Pacelli Athletics baseball team was back on the road for game number two of the young 2024 season at Mayo Field in Rochester Monday to take on Schaeffer Academy in a Southeast Conference matchup, and it was the Athletics scoring early and often as they plated 11 runs in the top of the first inning and 11 more in the second as they rolled by the Lions 26-0 in four innings.

There were hitting heroes aplenty in the game for the Athletics who rapped out 18 hits as a team, led by leadoff hitter Landon Meyer, who was a perfect 4 for 4 with a pair of doubles, three RBI’s, two stolen bases and five runs scored, Hunter VaDeer was 3 for 3 with two RBI’s, two stolen bases and four runs scored, Jack Klingfus went 3 for 5 with three runs knocked in, two stolen bases and two runs scored, Hunter Wollenburg was 2 for 3 with a stolen base, two RBI’s and two runs scored, Logyn Brooks also rapped out two hits in three trips to the plate with two RBI’s, three runs scored and two stolen bases, Isaac Nelsen was 2 for 3 with a double, three runs knocked in, four runs scored and two stolen bases, and Dane Schara went 2 for 4 Monday with a pair of RBI’s, two runs scored and a stolen base.  After taking the 22-0 lead after two innings, the Athletics added four runs in the top of the fourth to account for the final score, and they also took advantage of six Lions errors to score seven unearned runs, plus the Lions pitching staff also issued 12 walks in the game.

Dane Schara and Landon Meyer combined to hold Schaeffer Academy to one hit, as Schara was credited with the win, as he gave up no runs and no hits in three innings of work, striking out seven and walking none, whle Meyer gave up no runs and one hit in one inning of work, striking out three and walking none.

Lyle/Pacelli is now 2-0 on the young season, and the Athletics return to action today (Tuesday) for their home opener at Marcusen Park versus GMLOK in the Southeast Conference, with first pitch at 4:30 p.m.

In Blooming Prairie, the Awesome Blossoms played host to Kenyon-Wanamingo in the Gopher Conference for their 2024 home opener, but it was the Knights spoiling the festivities with a four-run top of the third inning to win 4-1.

The Blossoms were held to three hits in the game, as Alex Lea was 1 for 2 with a double, Brady Kittleson went 1 for 4 with a double and an RBI, and Cale Braaten was 1 for 3.  Knights pitcher Gunner Kennedy earned the win on the mound as he went the first five and one-thirds of an inning and gave up no runs on two hits, striking out nine and walking one, while Colton Steberg went the final inning and two-thirds for the Knights and gave up one run, which was unearned, on one hit, striking out three and walking none.  Zach Hein pitched the first three innings for Blooming Prairie and gave up no runs on one hit, striking out three and walking two, and Lance Lembke threw the final four innings and gave up the four Kenyon-Wanamingo runs, three earned, on four hits, striking out three and walking four.

The Blossoms are out to an 0-2 start, and they are back in acton at Bud Kroenke Park in Minnesota Lake Thursday versus Maple River in the Gopher Conference, with first pitch at 5:00 p.m.