Rochester wins Upper Midwest title

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- Eight was enough for the Rochester A's as they scored eight runs in the first inning to coast by first-time tournament entrant Sioux Falls East 10-2 Sunday afternoon in the championship game of the 2003 Upper Midwest Classic.

Dan Lyons picked up the win for Rochester, allowing seven hits and two runs while striking out eight.

Alex Tutone took the loss for Sioux Falls East, yielding 10 runs in his three innings of work.

Lyons, Ted Garry, Lee Anderson, and Chris Collins each had two hits for the A's who won their fourth outright UMC title.

Lyons drove in four runs with a first-inning grand slam homer. Anderson and Collins both drove in two runs. Anderson belted a solo home run. Ted Garry tripled for Rochester while Jay Kasner doubled.

Toby Upkes had two hits for SFE including a solo home run.

The A's all but salted the game away in the first inning with that eight run outburst.

Lyons singled before scoring on Ted Garry's triple to centerfield. Lee Anderson's base hit plated Garry. A passed ball and a Jay Kasner fly out put Anderson on third.

Justin Grant coaxed a walk and a Chris Collins' infield single scored Anderson. Walks to Nate Bower and Tom Lyons forced in a run prior to Dan Lyons tatooing a 2-2 Alex Tutone offering deep over the fence for a grandslam homer and that 8-0 cushion.

Rochester used the long ball to increase their lead to double-digits in the second.

Lee Anderson connected with a Tutone pitch and sent it over the fence in left for a 9-0 lead. Jay Kasner followed that with a double, took third on a passed ball and scored on Chris Collins' sacrifice fly.

Sioux Falls East got their fans to stand up in the bottom of the inning when Toby Upkes sent a Dan Lyons pitch over the fence in leftfield.

East would plate their final run in the bottom of the seventh. Chris Kessinger led off with a double and trotted home on Josh Berndt's base hit.

ROCHESTER 820-000-0=10-11-1

SIOUX FALLS EAST 010-000-1= 2- 7-0

ROCHESTER 4,

APPLE VALLEY 2

Rochester got to the title game by topping Apple Valley 4-2.

Jay Kasner picked up the win for Rochester, striking out five in his complete game win.

Andy Heieie took the loss for the 76ers.

Kyle Barron led Apple Valley with two hits. Barron and Mike Lundin each drove in a run.

Jay Kasner and Nate Bower each had two hits for the A's with Kasner belting a two-run homer.

The 76ers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Kasner plunked Jeremy Chlan who advanced to second on a throwing error by Rochester catcher Aaron Craig. Kyle Barron's double scored Chlan.

But the A's would take a lead that they would not lose in he bottom of the fourth when they scored three runs.

Lee Anderson led off with a double and scored on Kasner's home run over the rightfield fence. Justin Grant walked and took second on Chris Collins' sacrifice bunt. Nate Bower's single scored Grant.

Rochester tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Kasner was hit by a pitch, went to second on a Grant sacrifice bunt and trotted home on Nate Bower's single.

Apple Valley, who lost to New Ulm Gold on Saturday night, scored their final run in the top of the seventh on singles by Mike Haberman, Chlan and Lundin.

APPLE VALLEY 100-000-1=2-7-0

ROCHESTER 000-301-X=4-7-1

SIOUX FALLS EAST 3, CREIGHTON PREP 1

Sioux Falls East sprung a mild surprise with a 3-1 win over Creighton Prep.

Travis Reisch pitched the win for East scattering five hits.

Kevin Gergen took the loss for Creighton.

Toby Upkes and Lucas Smith both had two hits for East.

Tim Huber had a two-hit game for Prep.

East would score all the runs that they would need in the bottom of the second inning when they scored twice.

Toby Upkes doubled and scored on Ryan Kessinger's single. Lucas Smith followed with an RBI double.

East plated another run in the fifth when Jamen Bartlett scored on Kyle Nelson's single.

Creighton managed to avoid the shutout in the top of the seventh. Nick Nemer doubled and scored on Mike Quinlan's single.

CREIGHTON PREP 000-000-1=1-5-0

SIOUX FALLS EAST 020-010-X=3-7-1