Vultures drop opener to Granite Falls

They took off their Viking uniforms and donned the summer "Vultures" uniforms. But the results were the same — the Minneota American Legion lost to Granite Falls 9-4 in the season opener.

It was the first game the same team played after losing in the Section 3A semi-finals to Lac qui Parle Valley.

This time it was a matter of seeing who could pitch — as Granite Falls used Vulture wildness to jump out early and often — then glide to the victory.

The final stat line of the Vultures pitchers, Tate Walerius, Sam Buysse and Teddy Pesch was not pretty. Eight walks, just five hitws allowed and six hit batters.

Granite Falls Coach used a variety of players, including four pitchers and Minneota couldn't seem to get a key hit — stranding 10 batters along the way.

There was a nice highlight in the fourth when Walerius popped a triple, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Josh Laleman. A single by AJ Myhre in the fifth scored another run during a two-run rally in the fifth.

But Minneota wasn't exactly in "Vulture" form and they kept letting Granite Falls runs drip in.

Walerius led the team with two hits as Carter Sneller and Ayden Friese each had two for Granite Falls.

Minneota will play at 7 p.m. Thursday at home against Madison.

MINNEOTA (AB-R-H-RBI) Thomas Hennen, ss 4 1 1 0; Sam Buysse, cf-p-rf 4 0 0 0; Teddy Pesch, 2b-p 3 1 0 0; Landon Rolbiecki, lf 4 0 0 0'; Jaymes Moon, c-cf 4 0 1 0; Austin Sorensen, 1b 2 0 0 0; Tate Walerius, p 2 1 2 0; Braeden Panka, cr 0 0 0 0; AJ Myhre, c 2 0 1 1; Josh Laleman, 3b 3 0 01; Grady Moorse, lf 3 0 1 0. Totals 33 3 6 2.

GRANITE FALLS (AB-R-H-RBI) Carter Sneller, cf 4 2 2 0; Bennett Knapper, ss 1 1 0 0; Nick Knapper, ss 1 1 0 0; Tate Schulte, lf 1 1 0 1; Caleb Jans, lf 1 0 0 0; Angel Jimenez, 3b-p 1 1 0 1; Asa Ulferts, 3b-p 1 0 0 0; Cole Fischer, c 4 0 0 0; Ty Schulte, p 2 0 0 0; Jared Martin, p 0 0 0 0; Cole Richter, ph 1 0 0 0; Ayden Friese, rf 3 1 2 2 ; Dalton Anderson, 2b 3 0 1 1; Alex Formo, ph 1 0 0 0; Hunter Wilke, 2b 2 0 1 0; Nick Lindstrom, 2b 0 2 0 0. Totals 24 9 6 5.

Score by Innings

Granite Falls          211 220 1 — 9 6 3

Minneota               100 100 0 — 3 6 2

E-Minneota: Laleman, Hennen; GF-Jimenez 2, Wilke. LOB-Minneota 10; GF 13. SB-Minneota: Hennen 2. SAC-Minneota: Laleman; GF-Friese. 3B-Minneota: Walerius.

Pitching                  IP    R    ER    H    BB    K

Minneota

Walerius (L)            3      4    4       3     6      1

Buysse                  1       2    2       1     1       0

Pesch                    3      3     1       2     1      4

Granite Falls

Ty Schulte             2      1     1       2     1      1

Martin (W)            2       1     1       1      0     0

Ulferts                  1       1      1      1      2     1

Jimenez               2       0      0      0     1      0

HP-Fischer (by Walerius); Jimenez, T. Schulte (by Buysse), N.Knapper, Jimenez, Wilke (by Pesch). WP-T. Schulte.