LONG SPRINT — Blue Earth Area centerfielder Adam Schavey makes a long run to the right-center field gap to make the catch against New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva during a Section 2AA elimination baseball game on Saturday in Gaylord. (Photo by Kyle McAreavy)

GAYLORD — New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva pitcher Kordell Schlaak kept the Blue Earth Area bats in check.

Schlaak pitched all seven innings to earn the win for the No. 12-seeded Panthers during the Section 2AA baseball elimination bracket Saturday in Gaylord.

The Panthers downed the No. 2-seeded Blue Earth Area Bucs 5-2 at Walsh Field.

Blue Earth Area ends its season with a record of 15-8. The Panthers (10-12) move on to face Sibley East at 5 p.m. today at Walsh Field in Gaylord. The No. 4-seeded Wolverines beat the No. 3-seeded Maple River Eagles 6-3 Saturday to stay alive.

Schlaak allowed two runs in the third inning when the Bucs played small ball to grab three hits with two coming on bunts, otherwise he never allowed a runner to reach third base.

“(NRHEG) just played better than us,” said BEA head coach Todd Schmitke. “We had three errors, they had no errors. They had seven hits, we had five. I’m dissatisfied with the loss, but I’m very proud of our guys.”

After the Bucs took the lead with two runs in the third, the Panthers answered with one in the fourth and one in the fifth, then jumped ahead with three runs in the top of the seventh off of Anthony Carr, who pitched a near complete game for the Bucs.

Carr had kept the Panthers in check for the first six innings, but the Panthers were able to collect three hits and a walk to build their final advantage.

Clay Stenzel walked with one out, then stole second before Carr struck out the next batter to put the Panthers down to their final out.

Stenzel then stole third before Benjamin Schoenrock singled off Carr’s glove for an RBI. George Roesler had a perfectly-executed hit-and-run single through the right side to put runners on first and third. Andrew Phillips followed with a single to center for his second and third RBIs of the game.

Taylor Davids came on in relief of Carr, threw one pitch, then picked off Phillips at first base to end the frame.

Schlaak came out for the seventh inning, got a fly out on a Riley Schultz diving catch in right, then forced a groundout before Ryan Madetzke got a hit for the Bucs. Schlaak then forced another groundout to end the Bucs’ season.

BEA got both of its runs in the third. Luke Schonborn got the inning started with a leadoff single to left, then Madetzke was hit by a pitch before Parker Meyers perfectly placed a bunt down the third base line and was safe at first to load the bases.

After a strikeout, Keegan O’Brien dropped a perfect bunt down the third base line for an RBI hit.

Anders Fering then smoked a ball to the right-center gap that might have been a home run if not for the strong wind coming in from the outfield, leaving it as a sacrifice fly to the center fielder.

Schlaak helped his own cause for the Panthers’ first run in the third with a single up the middle. He then moved to second base on a Nick Staloch single to right. The pair tried a double steal and Schlaak scored when the Bucs tried to get Staloch at second.

Samuel Olson led off the Panthers’ side of the fourth with a single to left-center, then moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Olson scored when Phillips lined a triple nearly to the wall in center field for an RBI.

The Bucs escaped the inning when Phillips attempted to steal home, but was caught at the plate.

Carr pitched 6 2/3 innings for the Bucs, allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits and one walk, while striking out four.

O’Brien singled and walked for the Bucs, while Fering had a single and an RBI. Schonborn singled and scored a run, as did Madetzke, while Meyers had two singles.

NRHEG 000 110 3 — 5 7 0

BEA 002 000 0 — 2 5 3

LOB–BEA 3, NRHEG 2. 3B–Andrew Phillips (NRHEG). SF–Anders Fering (BEA). SAC–Benjamin Schoenrock.