Joey Lacek scores ahead of the throw following a wild pitch in the fourth inning against Madison last Friday in the Sub-State playoffs in Minneota.

Vultures fall short of state trip

Lose to top-seeded Monte in final of South Central Sub-State

The Minneota Vultures entered the South Central Sub-State Junior Legion Tournament as the No. 5 seed, but proved that seedings don't always tell the story.
After losing its opener of the double-elimination tournament to No. 4 Dawson, Minneota regrouped and knocked off the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds en route to reaching the championship Saturday, needing to take two games from top-seeded Montevideo at K.P. Kompelien Field.
Montevideo showed why it was the No. 1 seed, topping Minneota 7-1 in the final.
"I'm really proud of the kids," said Minneota coach J.D. Pesch. "They had a good season this summer."
Minneota was the host site of the final six games played in the tournament, drawing praise from opposing teams and officials for the way they handled things in the tournament.
"It had to be one of the biggest baseball events in Minneota in a long time," said Pesch. "There were a lot of people there."
Because they had to play four games in five days, Minneota wasn't able to use their top pitchers in the finals. But the Vultures stayed even with the top seed, tied 1-1 until Montevideo plated five runs in the fifth inning on five walks and three hits.
Minneota's lone run came in the top of the fourth inning when Ryan Meagher walked, advanced to third on a passed ball and a stolen base, and scored on another passed ball.
Eli Gruenes had two of Minneota's four hits. Meagher and Ryan Dalager had the other hits.
Note: The Vultures coaches and players would like to thank Sarah Gruenes for being the stat manager for the team this summer.

Montevideo 7, Minneota 1
Minneota..................................................000 100 0 - 1 4 0
Montevideo.............................................010 051 x - 7 6 1

Minneota hitting: Carson Javers 0-for-4; Brody Larson 0-for-2, bb; Ryan Dalager 1-for-3; Ryan Meagher 1-for-2, run, hbp, sb; Adam Dalager 0-for-3; Parker Bradley 0-for-3; Eli Gruenes 2-for-3; Keaton Jurrens 0-for-2, bb; Kellen Bradley 0-for-3

Montevideo hitting (first names not available): Epema 1-for-2, run, 3b; Dan Gunlogson 0-for-4; Reidinger 0-for-2, run; Baldwin 1-for-3, run, 2b, rbi; Dack 1-for-3, 2 runs, rbi; Olson 2-for-2, 2b, 2 rbi; DeBeer 1-for-3, 2 rbi; Goslee 0-for-2; Knopp 0-for-1, 2 runs

Minneota pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Brody Larson (L) 4 2/3-0-0-0-0-0, Carson Javers 2/3-0-0-0-0-0, Ada, Dalager 2/3-0-0-0-0-0

Montevideo pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Reidinger (W) 6 1/3-4-1-0-2-8, Epema 2/3-0-0-0-0-2

Minneota 6, MACCRAY/RCW 4
(Result Friday, July 29)
The No. 5 Vultures, who eliminated third-seeded Granite Falls earlier in the tournament, knocked out No. 2 MACCRAY/RCW in this game.
Adam Dalager went 3-for-3 and drove in two runs for Minneota, which advanced to the championship. Ryan Dalager, Ryan Meagher and Eli Gruenes had the other three hits for the Vultures.
Leading 1-0, Minneota added a run in the second inning when Adam Dalager singled and came around to score on a double by Gruenes.
MACCRAY/RCW tied the game 2-2 with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning.
The Vultures then took the lead for good with two runs in the fourth inning. Meagher walked, advanced to third on Adam Dalager's single and scored on a passed ball. Dalager scored on a groundout by Kellen Bradley.
Adam Dalager then drove in two runs with a single in the fifth to cap the scoring.
Ryan Dalager started and hurled the first two innings, allowing one hit and no runs, while walking one and fanning four. Brody Larson pitched one inning and struck out two, allowing two unearned runs. Meagher worked the final four innings for the win. He gave up four hits and two runs, while striking out seven.

MINNEOTA 6, MACCRAY/RCW 4
Minneota.....................................110 220 0 - 6 6 1
MACCRAY/RCW.........................002 000 2 - 4 5 0

Minneota hitting: Carson Javers 0-for-4; Brody Larson 0-for-3, bb; Ryan Dalager 1-for-3, 2 runs, bb; Ryan Meagher 1-for-1, 2 runs, 2b, 2 bb's; Adam Dalager 3-for-3, run, 2 rbi; Eli Gruenes 1-for-3, 2b, rbi; Easton Johnston 0-for-1; Kellen Bradley 0-for-2, rbi; Parker Bradley 0-for-2; Joey Lacek

MACCRAY/RCW hitting (first names not available): Howard 0-for-3, run, bb; Node 1-for-4, run; Ahrenholz 2-for-3, run, 3b, rbi; Strommer 0-for-3; Gustafson 0-for-3, bb; Struxness 1-for-2, 2 rbi; Dirksen 1-for-4; Rand 0-for-4; Schroeder 0-for-1, run

Minneota pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Ryan Dalager 2-1-0-0-1-4, Brody Larson 1-0-2-0-1-2, Ryan Meagher (W) 4-4-2-2-0-7

MACCRAY/RCW pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Howard 1-1-1-1-1-1, Dirksen (L) 4-5-5-4-3-7, Schroeder 2-0-0-0-0-3

Minneota 8,
Madison 3
(Result Friday, July 29)
The Vultures, seeded No. 5, eliminated No. 6 Madison from the tournament in the elimination bracket semifinals as Parker Bradley drove home three runs and Joey Lacek knocked in two.
Ryan Dalager allowed only one hit and no runs over 4 2/3 innings before giving way to Parker Bradley, who finished the final 2 1/3 innings. Dalager walked two and struck out eight in earning the win.
The Vultures grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Eli Gruenes drove in the first run with a bunt single and Bradley drove in the other with fielder's choice.
Minneota added three more runs in the fourth, all with two outs. Lacek rapped a two-run single and the other run came in on a wild pitch.
Three more runs crossed the plate in the fifth inning. Adam Dalager singled home one run and Bradley added a two-run single.

MINNEOTA 8, MADISON 3
Madison..................................................000 003 0 - 3 4 1
Minneota.................................................020 330 x - 8 8 1

Madison hitting: Dylan Keimeg 0-for-4, Davis Patzer 1-for-4, run; Kaden Molden 1-for-2, run; Tyson Allpress 0-for-2, run, bb, rbi; Kaden Mortenson 2-for-3, 2b, hbp, 2 rbi; Peyton Rademacher 0-for-3; Brayden Danziesen 0-for-2, bb; Baxter Kallhoff 0-for-3; Cole Bjornson 0-for-3

Minneota hitting: Carson Javers 0-for-4; Brody Larson 0-for-3, bb; Ryan Dalager 2-for-4, run; Ryan Meagher 1-for-2, run, hbp, bb; Adam Dalager 2-for-3, bb, 2 runs, rbi; Eli Gruenes 1-for-4, run, rbi; Kyson Arndt 0-for-2, run; Kellen Bradley 0-for-0, bb; Parker Bradley 1-for-2, hbp, 3 rbi; Joey Lacek 1-for-3, run, 2 rbi

Madison pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Kaden Mortenson (L) 4-2-5-2-3-7, Peyton Rademacher 1-3-3-3-1-0, Taden Clark 1-3-0-0-0-0

Minneota pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Ryan Dalager (W) 4 2/3-1-0-0-2-8, Parker Bradley 2 1/3-3-3-2-0-0

Minneota 4, Granite Falls 1
(Result Tuesday, July 26)
Ryan Meagher and Brody Larson combined on a two-hitter with 15 strikeouts as the Vultures eliminated No. 2-seeded Granite Falls from the tournament.
The Vultures scored all four of its runs in third inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Carson Javers.
Ryan Dalager led off the fourth inning with a double, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on a wild pitch. Ryan Meagher walked and Adam Dalager was hit by a pitch. Eli Gruenes' bunt single loaded the bases. Meagher scored on a passed ball with the other runners moving up a base before Javer's single score both Adam Dalager and Gruenes.
Javers went 4-for-5 in the leadoff spot. He also stole two bases. Adam Dalager was 2-for-3. Larson, Gruenes and Ryan Dalager had one hit each.
Meagher worked the first three innings and allowed one hit and one unearned run, while walking one and striking out seven. Larson hurled the final four innings for the win, giving up one hit and fanning eight.
Granite Falls starter Jacob Peterson took the loss.
The Vultures, who lost their opener to Dawson, are working their way through the elimination bracket in an attempt to get back to the winner's bracket where top-seeded Montevideo awaits.
MINNEOTA 4, GRANITE FALLS 1
Minneota.................................................004 000 0 - 4 9 2
Granite Falls...........................................100 000 0 - 1 2 2

Minneota hitting: Caron Javers 4-for-5, 2 sb's, 2 rbi; Brody Larson 1-for-5; Ryan Dalager 1-for-4, run, 2b; Ryan Meagher 0-for-1, hbp, 2 bb's; Adam Dalager 2-for-3, run, hbp; Eli Gruenes 1-for-4, run; Keaton Jurrens 0-for-3; Kyson Arndt 0-for-1; Parker Bradley 0-for-3, hbp; Joey Lacek 0-for-2, hbp, bb; Kellen Bradley 0-for-0, run

Granite Falls hitting: Jacob Peterson 0-for-3; Andrew Flaten 0-for-3, run; Drew Almich 1-for-3; Owen Cherveny 0-for-3; Connor Fagen 0-for-2; Evan Friese 0-for-3; Braden Nelson 0-for-2; Kian Christianson 1-for-2; Gage Wilke 0-for-2

Minneota pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Ryan Meagher 3-1-1-0-1-7, Brody Larson (W) 4-1-0-0-0-8

Granite Falls pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Jacob Peterson (L) 4 1/3-7-4-4-3-4, Connor Fagen 2 2/3-2-0-0-0-4

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