The Byron baseball team made its 2002 home opener a memorable one.
Trailing by seven runs in the third inning on their home field, the Bears chipped away at the lead, tying the game in the sixth inning and winning 9-8 in the eighth inning.
Adam Schroeder scored the winning run on an error when Blossoms fielders couldn't get Eric Krueger out on a chopper toward first base. Schroeder, who batted 3-for-5 in the game, had reached base on a double.
Byron 6-foot-5 sophomore Matt Storlie played a key role. He belted a two-run homer in the third inning, and he allowed just one hit through three innings, after giving up a home run. Schroeder tied the game 8-8 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a three-run homer.
Byron's Jeremie Erdmann, who last season broke a 33-year-old school record by striking out 92 batters, struck out six of seven batters he faced in pitching the final two innings.
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Blooming Prairie (0-1) hit three home runs in the game, including a leadoff blast by Steve Sykora in the first inning. Ryan Klemmensen got a solo homer, and David Kramer smashed a three-run homer.
HIAWATHA VALLEY LEAGUE
Winona Cotter 8, Hayfield 1
Cotter's Matt O'Brien struck out nine and allowed no earned runs while issuing three walks in the game played at St. Michael's Field, Winona. C.J. Spang batted 2-for-4 with a double, and O'Brien went 2-for-2.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa 6, Pine Island 3
Eric Carroll saved the win in Z-M's season opener at P.I. by pitching out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam with a double-play ball and a pop-out. Bob Ladue was the winner, going the first six innings. Ladue and Nathan Tiedtke had two hits each for the Cougars and Tiedtke and Zach Brown doubled. John Langens had two hits for Pine Island, which was also playing for the first time. Ted Kimball was the losing pitcher.
THREE RIVERS CONFERENCE
Dover-Eyota 4, Goodhue 0
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Dover-Eyota's Adam Brandt allowed three hits and struck out 10 in a complete game victory in Eyota. Pinch hitter Jeff Hobbs' two-run double with one out in the sixth inning secured the final margin. Teammate Jacob Zamzow batted 2-for-2 with a double.
Chatfield 5, Plainview 3
Chatfield right fielder Steve Opat and catcher Matt Bell both made sharp throws on a play in the fifth inning that prevented Plainview from scoring in a game played in Chatfield.
Chatfield (1-1, 1-0) went 8-for-8 on stolen bases, with Kelly Schroeder and freshman Nathan Neis getting three each.
St. Charles 5, Elgin-Millville 2
Elgin-Millville's David Reiter struck out 11 St. Charles hitters, but didn't get enough fielding support. Visiting St. Charles scored three times in the first inning, two of the runs unearned. E-M got it to 3-2 in the sixth, but the Saints finished it with two more in the top of the seventh. Paul McKay and Reggie Stevens doubled for St. Charles; John Buck doubled for E-M. David Reiter hit a triple.
SOUTHEAST CONFERENCE
Southland 7-2, Rushford-Peterson 3-5
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Southland suffered its first loss of the season in the doubleheader. Zach Stratton won the first game, striking out seven, walking none, and scattering four hits. R-P's Jacob Merchlewitz struck out 17 in the nightcap. Alex Mierau had two hits and an RBI for R-P in the second game.
LeRoy-Ostrander 10-15,
Spring Grove 0-4
LeRoy-Ostrander swept the doubleheader, ending both games via the 10-run rule. L-O's Ryan King allowed just two hits and struck out five in the first game. Dustin Thorson batted 5-for-7 on the day including a double and triple in the first game and two doubles and a home run in the second, which featured 14 hits by the Cardinals. Teammate Chad Doocy had three RBIs in the second game.
L-O first baseman Grant Lunning and and catcher Anthony Stejskal played sparkling defense, with Lunning making a diving catch early in the second game to get the Cardinals out of an inning.
Glenville-Emmons 3-1, Caledonia 1-2
Mitch Meier was the winning pitcher for G-E in the opener, going six innings with three strikeouts, one walk, and scattered seven hits. Josh Conway was the losing pitcher, Joe Ingvalson had a double and scored a run in the first inning for Caledonia.
Ingvalson was the winning pitcher in the late game. Ritchie Mathis went went the distance on the hill for G-E with four strikeouts, two walks, and allowed just one hit. Ingvalson was hit by pitch and then Kevin Meiners hit a two-run homer in the bottom of first and that was only hit by Caledonia.
