Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel Legion runner Trevor Pederson avoids the tag by Marion/Tigerton second baseman Aaron Hoffman during Saturday’s American Legion Class A Region 3 tournament game in Marion. Bonduel lost, 10-6.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel Legion hitter Connor Rosin takes a swing during Saturday’s American Legion Class A Region 3 tournament game against Marion/Tigerton. Bonduel lost, 10-6.
After rallying early, the Bonduel American Legion baseball team was eliminated from the Class A Region 3 tournament with a 10-6 loss to Marion/Tigerton on Saturday in Marion.
“Overall, I’m pretty happy with the team that we had and what we did,” coach Jason Luepke said. “We have about everyone coming back. Jake Luepke is the only one that wont be coming back. We’ll be looking for big things coming next year.”
Marion/Tigerton (8-9) took a 2-0 lead in the first when Justin Miller, who would finish the game 3 for 5 with two doubles and five RBIs, hit a two-run double, driving in Tyler Marquardt and Hayden Harris, who both reached base on walks.
Bonduel (12-8) got one run back on a Marion/Tigerton error in the second, tied the game on a bases-loaded walk and took a 3-2 lead in the fourth on Hunter VanderLinden’s sacrifice fly to center field, bringing Patrick Thiel home.
In the bottom of the frame, though, Marion/Tigerton took control, first scoring on a Bonduel error, then getting an RBI single from Andrew Cunliff that chased Jacob Springborn from the mound in favor of VanderLinden.
David Stenson and Marquardt each singled to load the bases. Miller then sent a rocket over the left fielder’s head for a double that cleared the bases and gave Marion/Tigerton a 7-3 lead.
“It was a killer,” Luepke said. “He hit the ball hard. We didn’t like to see it, but Justin did the job there.”
“Andrew’s been hot, Justin Miller’s been hot, Woody Nelson was hot,” Marion/Tigerton coach John Kopitzke said. “The guys really picked it up.”
Steven Olson, Thiel and Connor Rosin each hit RBI singles in the top of the fifth to get Bonduel within 7-6.
Marion/Tigerton added a run in the fifth and pair of insurance runs in the sixth.
“Their hits definitely worked better than our hits,” Luepke said. “We didn’t hit the ball when we needed to, left too many people on base, and they were scoring them. That’s the name of the game, right?”
VanderLinden allowed five runs on seven hits, struck out three and walked one in 2 2/3 innings on the mound. Springborn allowed five runs on two hits, struck out one and walked three.
Marquardt allowed six runs on six hits, struck out three and walked five before giving way to Miller after 4 1/3 innings. Miller allowed three hits, struck out three and walked two, while holding Bonduel scoreless the rest of the way.
Marion/Tigerton lost the regional championship game to Clintonville.