THE DELIVERY — Winnebago Post 82/Blue Earth Post 89 pitcher Anthony Carr delivers a strike to the plate as Winnebago/Blue Earth first baseman Jimmy Allis watches the pitch during second-round Division II, Southwest Sub-State American Legion baseball action Friday in Wabasso. Carr and WBE went on to defeat United South Central, 14-1, in five innings to advance to tonight’s 6 p.m. game of sub-state unbeatens. (Photo by Kyle McAreavy)

WABASSO — Winnebago/Blue Earth walked around and around the basepaths.

American Legion Posts 82/89 beat United South Central Post 210, 14-1, in a five-inning run-rule shortened game Friday in Wabasso to advance to the semifinal round of the Division II, Southwest Sub-State baseball tournament.

With the win, WBE (15-1) moves on to face Luverne in tonight’s semifinal at 6 p.m. at City Field in Wabasso.

Luverne defeated Springfield, 6-2, to advance to tonight’s championship-bracket matchup.

“(Today’s) game is huge, there’s no other way to put it,” WBE head coach Paul Nienaber said. “The way the tournament is, the bracket is set up, (today’s) game, if you can win it, gives you a huge advantage moving on. … We’re playing a really, really good team. So whatever the guys need to do to get ready to play, they need to do it.”

USC moves into the elimination bracket, where it will face Minneota at 3 p.m. today.

WBE jumped onto the scoreboard in its first at-bat. After starter Anthony Carr pitched a 1-2-3 top of the first, Posts 82/89 leadoff batter Adam Schavey walked up to the plate.

Schavey worked the count to 2-2, then connected for a no-doubt, high-flying home run over the wall in left field to put WBE up.

Kean Hicks then took the first of nine walks that WBE would garner in the five-inning matchup before he took off for second and advanced to third when Keegan O’Brien grounded out.

Logan O’Hara then sent a fly ball out to left field for a sacrifice fly, bringing in Hicks and putting WBE up 2-0.

USC answered in the top of the second with its lone run.

Andy Krohnberg singled to short left, then took second on an error after a flyout when the throw to the infield rolled to the fence.

After a walk, Krohnberg moved to third on a fielder’s choice and scored when the attempted double-play throw traveled to the fence behind first base.

WBE’s patience then came through in the third, with Posts 82/89 walking five times and collecting two hits to score eight runs.

After Schavey reached on an error, Hicks and O’Brien both walked to load the bases before O’Hara hit an infield single to leave the bases loaded and score a run.

Ryan Madetzke and Luke Mertens took consecutive walks for two RBIs, then after a strikeout, Luke Schonborn did the same. Schavey came to the plate for the second time in the inning and singled to center to bring in WBE’s final two runs of the frame. After three innings, WBE led 10-1.

USC attempted to answer in the top of the fourth when Krohnberg reached on an error and Ian Crawford doubled, but Carr was able to get out of trouble.

“It actually helped that they got to second and third,” Carr said. “It let me get back into the windup and I usually pitch better out of the windup.”

Carr went on to strike out the next batter, force a fly ball to center, which a perfect throw from O’Brien kept from being a sacrifice fly, and strike out another batter to end the frame without allowing a run.

WBE went on to add four more runs in the bottom of the fourth on three walks, some clever baserunning from Mertens, which forced a balk, a Schonborn triple to left for an RBI and a Parker Meyers single for an RBI.

“We came out and played ball,” Nienaber said. “It’s just a continuation of how we’ve been playing. We keep hitting, we keep taking advantage of situations that present themselves.”

Carr pitched all five innings for WBE, allowing one run on two hits, two walks and a hit batter, while striking out six.

Schavey had a home run, a single and three RBIs, while Hicks walked twice and scored two runs. O’Hara singled for an RBI, walked and scored two runs, while Madetzke walked twice and, through courtesy runner Will Howard, scored two runs.

Mertens walked twice and scored two runs, while Schonborn tripled, walked and scored two runs.

USC 010 00 — 1 2 3

WBE 208 4x — 14 5 2

Taber Connelly (LP), Zale Bushlack (3), Aiden Crabtree (4) and Konner Harpestad. Anthony Carr (WP) and Ryan Madetzke.

LOB–USC 5, WBE 2. 2B–Ian Crawford (USC). 3B–Luke Schonborn (WBE). HR–Adam Schavey (WBE). SF–Logan O’Hara (WBE).