Knights battle but lose to Lakers St. Mary's to play for third

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

CHASKA -- Sleepy Eye St. Mary's rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning in Thursday's semifinal game against Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, but lost 4-3 and will play Menahga in the Class A third place game at 2:30 p.m. today at Chaska Athletic Park.

St. Mary's coach Bruce Woitas was pleased with the way his team battled back and almost advanced into today's championship game.

"We know the game is 21 outs," Woitas said. "We fought back hard but missed some opportunities."

St. Mary's defeated Royalton 5-1 in the first game behind a strong pitching performance from Matt Mathiowetz. Mathiowetz pitched all seven innings, allowing three hits and striking out seven. He allowed a run, which was earned, and walked four.

Royalton's Pete Gleisner took the loss, striking out four and allowing six hits over seven innings. He walked three.

Andy Cook led the Knights by going 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs. His first RBI came when he reached on an error in the first inning, scoring Mathiowetz to give St. Mary's a 1-0 lead.

Royalton scored its only run in the bottom of the first when Chris Fussy singled to score Andrew Gurbada to tie it at 1-1.

Cook's second RBI came in the third inning and scored Matt Gangelhoff, who had reached on a single to center. St. Mary's scored three runs in the third.

Tim Braulick, who went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, doubled home Cook and Brett Braulick to make it 4-1. Royalton stranded a couple of runners in the third inning and seven total in the game. St. Mary's stranded five.

St. Mary's went up 5-1 in the fourth when Mathiowetz hit a grounder to first, scoring Cole Helget from third. St. Mary's finished the game with six hits and committed one error and Royalton committed two errors.

St. Mary's started Brett Braulick in the second game and he pitched himself out of jams in the first three innings, stranding a total of six runners in the process. He also doubled to start the second inning, but failed to score after a couple of flyouts and a strikeout.

The Lakers loaded the bases in the third inning with two outs before Jieles Erickson hit a hard grounder to St. Mary's third baseman Helget, who knocked the ball down and alertly touched third base to retire Tom Bobrowske to end the threat.

The Lakers erupted for four runs in the fifth inning after Josiah Hagemann tripled, scoring Derek Swedberg and Bobrowske, who both reached on walks.

A double by Matt Streich scored Hagemann and Swedberg to make it 4-0.

St. Mary's had a bad break in the bottom of the fifth when Cook lined a single to center with runners on first and second. Jake Bohnen, who was on second base, slipped on his way around third and had to retreat back to third. With Cook already standing at second because of the throw, that left nowhere to go for Gangelhoff, who would've advanced from first to third if not for the slip by Bohnen.

Gangelhoff was tagged out in a rundown.

St. Mary's had one more chance in the bottom of the seventh. Bohnen reached first on after his grounder rolled under the second baseman's glove into right field. St. Mary's then got some more magic on the next play when Mathiowetz hit a grounder to third. Laker third baseman Hagemann fired to second for the force out, but again second baseman Brad Koosman misplayed the easy out, this time dropping the ball and allowing both runners to be safe with nobody out.

"We made them make plays and we got some hits [in the seventh]," Woitas said.

Gangelhoff then singled to left and the relay throw from Hagemann sailed over the catchers head, scoring Bohnen. While Laker catcher Steve Bobrowske was chasing after the ball, Mathiowetz decided to try for home and scored after the throw again sailed over the plate, making it 4-2. The two errors allowed Gangelhoff to reach third. With one out, Brett Braulick's groundout scored Gangelhoff to make it 4-3.

Tim Braulick singled with two outs, thus ending Laker starter Steve Miller's game after 6 1/3. Miller struck out three.

"He did a nice job of keeping our hitters off balance," Woitas said. "But I think Brett threw a good game for us too. He battled through some things for us."

Gagnon came in and retired Joey Wahl on a grounder to short to end the game.

The Lakers play Win-E-Mac, a 3-1 winner over Menahga in the other semifinal game at 6 p.m. today at Chaska Athletic Park.