Spring Hill suffers 12-inning loss in state opener

Belle Plaine­- What was nothing less than an incredible amateur baseball season came to an abrupt end for Spring Hill on Sunday. At Belle Plaine for the first round of the Class C state tournament, the Chargers locked horns with Fort Ripley from Region 8C before losing 2-1 in 12 innings.

 

After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the 12th, the Chargers managed just one run in their final at bat.

 

Elrosa draftee Ethan Vogt started and pitched seven and one-third innings with six hits. Closer Brad Mergen was tagged with the loss after giving up four hits, one earned run and four walks with four strikeouts.

 

After the game, manager Randy Schoenberg said to the team, “You guys had a heck of a season. You played your hearts out today. You have nothing to hang your heads about.”

 

The Chargers, regular season and playoff champions of the Stearns County League North division, ended the year 21-5 overall with the most wins in a season in the team’s history.

Ft. Ripley 2, Spring Hill 1
 

Spring Hill got runners on in the first two innings but couldn’t get the needed hits for some early offense. Jamie Terres singled in the first inning but ran into a 6-4-3 double play. Corey Schoenberg walked in the second but was left stranded.  In the third, catcher Nathan Terres gunned down a Rebels player on a steal attempt at second base, a feat he repeated in the top of the eighth. The Rebels got a walk and a hit in the fourth before Vogt got a strikeout and a pop fly to center field to leave both stranded. Their lead off batter in the fifth inning singled but was cut down leading off of second on Vogt’s throw to shortstop Jamie Terres. The Chargers had a great opportunity going in the fifth when Nate Terres led off with a single. Cody Eichers was hit by a pitch, but on a bunt attempt the Rebels got a double play with a pop up to the third baseman and a put out throw to first base. The Rebels’lead off hitter in the seventh knocked a ball to right field, but Louie Opatz turned it into a grounder with a quick throw to first base. In the top of the ninth, Nathan Terres gunned down a Rebels runner at first base after he led off with a single. After each team went down in order, Corey Schoenberg led off the bottom of the 10th with a single before gaining second on Nathan Terres’s sacrifice bunt. A pop up and a ground ball left him stranded.
 

The Rebels left two stranded in the 11th while the Chargers left one on. Eric Terres singled on two outs but was left on with a ground ball.
 

With their lead off hitter getting a walk, the Rebels got a ground rule double to get two runners into scoring position. An intentional walk loaded the bases with one out, and the Rebels struck with a fielder’s choice RBI.
 

A wild pitch brought in another run before Jamie Terres cut down a runner at home for the second out. A pop up to first base ended what ended up as Fort Ripley’s final at bat.
 

Spring Hill, which had only six hits in the game, threatened to tie the score in the bottom of the 12th inning. Shawn Schoenberg opened with a walk and Corey Schoenberg followed with a double. With one out Eichers delivered a sacrifice fly that hit to left field, but Rebels closer Logan Kalis had the following batter ground out to end the inning.

(Melrose Beacon)