DARLINGTON - Sophomore Jesse Sturtz sent the Redbirds into jubilation with a walk-off three-run home run to put the cap on a comeback 7-6 win over Iowa-Grant Friday.
The Redbirds trailed 6-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Darlington (2-1, 2-0 SWAL) erupted for five runs to win.
"We put ourselves in a pretty good hole to start the game," Darlington coach Brad Solberg said. "We didn't help (Cole) McDonald on the mound. We fought through some adversity and never quit. We were just tough enough to escape with a win against a tough Iowa-Grant team."
Darlington senior Ben Muhlstein and Will Schwartz were each 2-for-3.
Darlington senior Cole McDonald pitched a complete game to get the win. He gave up six runs on 10 hits. McDonald struck out 10 and walked four.
Albany 3, Cassville 2
Cassville 9, Albany 1
ALBANY - Sophomore Brock Gilkes gave the Albany baseball fans something to jump about after delivering a two-run double to give the Comets a walk-off 3-2 win over Cassville in the first game of a doubleheader Friday.
Albany (1-2) battled back from a 2-0 deficit and with Gilkes' two-run double, capped a three-run seventh inning for the comeback win. However, the Comets couldn't sweep the doubleheader losing the nightcap of the twinbill 9-1.
"He (Gilkes) needs to do that more often for us," Albany coach Mitch Heinemeyer said. "He has been struggling early this year. That got him going."
Albany sophomore Trevor Mueller went 5-for-5 in the doubleheader and was 3-for-3 in the first game with two stolen bases.
Albany senior Joey McNaught pitched a complete game to get the win. He gave up two runs, while striking out six and walking four.
"Winning the first one the way we did it was kind of disheartening not to win the second one," Heinemeyer said. "We didn't play well in the second game."
Cassville scored six runs in the third inning of Game 2.
"We had a lot of mental errors and gave them a lot of extra outs," Heinemeyer said.
Mueller went 2-for-2 with one RBI. Albany senior Mitchell Trow was 2-for-4. Trow pitched five innings and gave up seven runs, but just five earned runs. He struck out three and walked two.
Poynette 3, New Glarus 2
NEW GLARUS - In a pitcher's duel, New Glarus senior Koner French matched Poynette pitch for pitch.
The game was scoreless after seven innings. Poynette got RBI singles from Jay Kimberly and Tanner See in the ninth inning to edge the Glarner Knights 3-2 Friday.
French pitched eight innings and gave up just one run. He struck out 10 and walked two.
"He (French) was lights-out," New Glarus coach Ross Eddy said. "He was on fire. It's the best I have ever seen him pitch. He has always been capable of throwing like that."
After Poynette took a 1-0 lead in the eighth, the Knights battled back. New Glarus junior Gain Binger reached on an error and stole second. French then delivered a game-tying RBI single.
New Glarus freshman Jared Carney pitched the ninth.
"He (Carney) pitched well and stepped up," Eddy said. "It's just a shame the game ended like that."
The Redbirds trailed 6-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Darlington (2-1, 2-0 SWAL) erupted for five runs to win.
"We put ourselves in a pretty good hole to start the game," Darlington coach Brad Solberg said. "We didn't help (Cole) McDonald on the mound. We fought through some adversity and never quit. We were just tough enough to escape with a win against a tough Iowa-Grant team."
Darlington senior Ben Muhlstein and Will Schwartz were each 2-for-3.
Darlington senior Cole McDonald pitched a complete game to get the win. He gave up six runs on 10 hits. McDonald struck out 10 and walked four.
Albany 3, Cassville 2
Cassville 9, Albany 1
ALBANY - Sophomore Brock Gilkes gave the Albany baseball fans something to jump about after delivering a two-run double to give the Comets a walk-off 3-2 win over Cassville in the first game of a doubleheader Friday.
Albany (1-2) battled back from a 2-0 deficit and with Gilkes' two-run double, capped a three-run seventh inning for the comeback win. However, the Comets couldn't sweep the doubleheader losing the nightcap of the twinbill 9-1.
"He (Gilkes) needs to do that more often for us," Albany coach Mitch Heinemeyer said. "He has been struggling early this year. That got him going."
Albany sophomore Trevor Mueller went 5-for-5 in the doubleheader and was 3-for-3 in the first game with two stolen bases.
Albany senior Joey McNaught pitched a complete game to get the win. He gave up two runs, while striking out six and walking four.
"Winning the first one the way we did it was kind of disheartening not to win the second one," Heinemeyer said. "We didn't play well in the second game."
Cassville scored six runs in the third inning of Game 2.
"We had a lot of mental errors and gave them a lot of extra outs," Heinemeyer said.
Mueller went 2-for-2 with one RBI. Albany senior Mitchell Trow was 2-for-4. Trow pitched five innings and gave up seven runs, but just five earned runs. He struck out three and walked two.
Poynette 3, New Glarus 2
NEW GLARUS - In a pitcher's duel, New Glarus senior Koner French matched Poynette pitch for pitch.
The game was scoreless after seven innings. Poynette got RBI singles from Jay Kimberly and Tanner See in the ninth inning to edge the Glarner Knights 3-2 Friday.
French pitched eight innings and gave up just one run. He struck out 10 and walked two.
"He (French) was lights-out," New Glarus coach Ross Eddy said. "He was on fire. It's the best I have ever seen him pitch. He has always been capable of throwing like that."
After Poynette took a 1-0 lead in the eighth, the Knights battled back. New Glarus junior Gain Binger reached on an error and stole second. French then delivered a game-tying RBI single.
New Glarus freshman Jared Carney pitched the ninth.
"He (Carney) pitched well and stepped up," Eddy said. "It's just a shame the game ended like that."
