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Jaguars breeze to 2A baseball playoff win

TRUMAN — For the first time in the history of the program, the Martin Luther/ Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman Jaguars received a No. 2 seed in the Section 2A baseball playoffs.

With home-field advantage, one of its best regular season records and sophomore Paxton Gravlin pitching, the Jaguars opened playoff action with an 11-1, five-inning win over the No. 15-seeded Madelia Blackhawks on Friday.

The Jaguars (17-4) host No. 10-seeded New Ulm Cathedral — a 7-6 winner over No. 7 Sleepy Eye Public — at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Truman. Madelia ended its season 0-17.

The Jaguars powered the 10-run rule win on the strength of eight runs to begin the game. The Blackhawks committed an error on a throw to first base as leadoff hitter James Schrunk got on to begin the first inning.

Schrunk stole to second and was able to wheel his way to third when the throw to second base rolled away from second baseman Ike Arduser. Schrunk added the last base and the score on Derek Shoen’s single.

Shoen used another errant Blackhawks throw to steal second and contributed the Jaguars’ second run on Zach Wolter’s hit that dropped into shallow right-center field.

Blackhawks pitcher Logan Anderson walked Jaguars No. 3 batter Ethan Hurn, who used a stolen base, Wolter’s single and Zach Jahnz’s sacrifice fly to get home.

Anderson then walked Carter Wille and Mitch Prafke to fill the bases with Jaguars. Garrett Balcom’s hit scored Wolter, and Quintin Greier’s single to center brought in Wille.

The Blackhawks then committed another error during Schrunk’s second appearance at the plate, allowing Prafke and Balcom the seventh and eighth runs, respectively.

Madelia scratched into the lead with a score in the top half of the second. Designated hitter Tyler Coners was able to get on base thanks to a dropped fly ball.

Gravlin walked Tyler Schwanke and hit Christian Sandmeyer with a pitch before striking out the next three batters. Just before the final strike, however, Coner scored on a wild pitch for an 8-1 game.

In the third inning, Greier walked to first, stole two bases and provided Schrunk with the RBI single. Shoen notched his second hit of the day and Anderson walked Hurn to load the bases.

Schrunk and Shoen used Jahnz’s single to get the Jaguars a 10-run lead.

“After that (first inning), we kind of relaxed a little bit (and were) a little lethargic. It was kind of a hard game to stay focused,” Jaguars head coach Scott Chirpich said.

Anderson allowed 11 runs on eight hits, walked five and struck out one to absorb the loss.

Gravlin gave up only one hit to the Blackhawks’ Tyler Schwanke in the fourth inning, but racked up eight total strikeouts to keep the Blackhawks at bay and record the win. The sophomore right-hander walked two and hit one batter.

“Paxton did a great job again throwing outs and giving us a chance,” Jaguars head coach Scott Chirpich said. “Coming into the season, in my preview, I had him sitting right where he’s at and he’s done an excellent job. He’s kept us in every ball game. His hard work and willingness to learn has really paid off.”

Shoen went 2-for-3 at the plate, scored twice and collected an RBI, while Jahnz had three RBIs in the win.

Greier scored two runs and batted in another for Martin Luther/ Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman.

The Jaguars will have the weekend and Monday to prepare for its next opponent.

“Offensively, we need to be able to put the ball in play with runners in scoring position. Defensively, we’ve got to make the routine plays,” Chirpich said. “Today, we were a little lazy in getting to the balls that we normally can. … You’ve got to come to play right away and get it done.”

Madelia 010 00 — 1 1 5

MLGHECT 803 0x — 11 8 2

Logan Anderson (LP) and Andrew Arduser. Paxton Gravlin (WP) and Ethan Hurn.

LOB–Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman 5, Madelia 5. SF–Zach Jahnz (MLGHECT).

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