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Amateur Baseball: Hi-10 Playoffs: Bluffton pounds Perham in opener 15-4
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Bluffton catcher Dustin Geiser applies the tag on Pirate baserunner Matt Schornack at the plate and then fired to second to nail Beau Bruhn in the fifth-inning rally killer as Bluffton pounded Perham 15-4 to open the Hi-10 playoffs. Photos by Mike Isola/Beyond the Bleachers
Bluffton brought out offensive fireworks by erupting for 16 hits to pound the fifth-seeded Perham Pirates 15-4 in the opening round of the Hi-10 playoffs on Friday night.
The fourth-seeded Braves led from the get-go as they scored once in the bottom of the first inning and tacked on two more runs in the second before the Pirates found the scoreboard.
Dustin Geiser led off the game with a walk and was sacrificed over to second on a bunt from Cody Geiser, however, the speedy baserunner also took third on the play on a close call after the Pirates threw to first. Kyle Dykhoff ripped a double along the right field line to score Dustin for the first of many Bluffton runs in the blowout.
Jake Seelhammer slugged a deep fly along the warning track in left for a double to plate Kevin Tumberg and later scored on a fielders choice from Dustin Geiser in the second inning for the 3-0 Bluffton lead.
Perham cracked the zero on the scoreboard in the top of the third on a Taylor Ziemann double into the left-center field gap that scored Taylor Doll, but the Braves answered with two runs in the home half of the frame and tacked on five more runs in the fourth inning for the 10-1 lead. Marc Sweere led off the third with a double, Josh Sweere singled to right and Kevin Tumberg walked to load the bases. Kyle Geiser lined a drive into right field to score both Sweere’s.
Bluffton once again loaded the bases to start the fourth as Cody Geiser, Dykhoff and Marc Sweere led off the inning with consecutive singles and drove Pirate starting pitcher Taylor Doll from the mound. Matt Schornack came in relief and was rudely welcomed by Josh Sweere, who ripped a triple into the left-center gap. Kevin Tumberg followed in the order with a RBI single up the middle, Kyle Geiser hit a screamer along the third-base line, Seelhammer struck out and Kurt Mursu walked to load the bases. Dustin Geiser capped the scoring frenzy with a RBI fielders choice.
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Bluffton starting pitcher Kyle Dykhoff limited the Pirates to six hits and struck out eight in the playoff opener
Both teams posted crooked numbers in the fifth inning to make the game interesting.
Perham loaded the bases with one out and threatened to close the gap. With one out and the bases loaded, Schornack got the Pirates going when he singled to left to plate Doll and Brad Ellingson walked to drive in Ziemann. Beau Bruhn hit a lazy Texas-league hopper into right field to score Miller, but the throw from the outfield nailed Schornack at home and the Bluffton catcher gunned down Bruhn at second on the play to kill the rally.
Perham loaded the bases with one out and threatened to close the gap. With one out and the bases loaded, Schornack got the Pirates going when he singled to left to plate Doll and Brad Ellingson walked to drive in Ziemann. Beau Bruhn hit a lazy Texas-league hopper into right field to score Miller, but the throw from the outfield nailed Schornack at home and the Bluffton catcher gunned down Bruhn at second on the play to kill the rally.
Two Pirate fielding errors in the bottom of the fifth enabled Bluffton to increase their lead to 13-4 and Marc Sweere capped the scoring with a two-run homer over the right field fence in the sixth.
Dykhoff pitched a complete game and struck out eight to pick up the win on the hill for the Braves. He went 3-for-4 with a double at the plate.
Marc Sweere also went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, four runs scored and two ribbies to lead the Braves. Aslo having a big day at the plate include Josh Sweere, who went 2-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs; Cody Geiser 2-for-5, Kyle Gieser 2-for-2 with two RBIs and Seelhammer 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
The Pirates were led by Ziemann, who went 2-for-3 with a run, two doubles and RBI. Doll took the loss on the mound after surrendering five runs (four earned) in three innings of work.
Bluffton will face top-seeded Wadena-Deer Creek at 3 p.m. Saturday (today) in the second round. The Shockers destroyed eighth-seeded Henning 16-0 last night.
Hi-10 Playoffs
No. 5 Perham at No. 4 Bluffton on July 22
Braves 15, Pirates 4 (7 innings)
Perham 0 0 1 0 3 0 0—4 6 3
Bluffton 1 2 2 5 3 2 x—15 16 0
WP: Kyle Dykhoff (Bluffton) 7IP, 6H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 8K
LP: Taylor Doll (Perham) 3IP, 9H, 5R, 4ER, 3BB, 2K
Perham—Shane Miller 1-3, R; Matt Schornack 1-3, RBI; Brad Ellingson 0-3, RBI; Beau Bruhn 1-3, RBI; Taylor Doll 1-2, 2R, 2B; Taylor Ziemann 2-3, R, (2)2B, RBI
Bluffton—Dustin Geiser 0-2, R; Cody Geiser 2-5, R; Dykhoff 3-4, 3R, 2B; Marc Sweere 3-4, 4R, 2B, HR, 2RBI; Josh Sweere 2-5, 2R, 3B, 3RBI; Kevin Tumberg 1-1, 2R, 2RBI; Kyle Geiser 2-3, R, 2RBI; Jake Seelhammer 2-4, R, 2B, 2RBI; Kurt Mursu 1-3, RBI
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