Land O’Ducks League

Final Standings

Ortonville Rox        10-1

Minneota Mudhens    7-4

Dumont Saints        7-4

Morris Eagles        7-4

Chokio Coyotes        7-4

Rosen Express        6-5

Clinton Cards        6-5

Madison Mallards        5-6

Cottonwood Cardinals    5-6

Hancock Orphans        4-7

Dawson Drakes        2-9

Appleton A’s          0-11

Note: Minneota defeated all the other 7-4 teams 

and got the second spot for the playoffs.

 

 

 By Byron Higgin

Mascot Sports Editor

 

At 2:15 a.m. Sunday morning, Tyson Sonnenburg arrived in Verndale, MN. He was coming home from his latest work assignment —  taking educators on a tour of New York City.

A three-hour drive later, he arrived in Marshall, MN, about 5:03 a.m. 

After a brief nap, he arrived at the K. P. Kompelien Field in Minneota for batting practice and the drive to Appleton for a game that could put the Mudhens into one of the top slots in the upcoming playoffs.

So, after a long trip, very little sleep and the rigors of organizing his team for the game, all Sonnenburg did was go 2-5 with five runs batted in, two runs scored, socked a home run and got a walk ... leading Minneota to an 11-2 win over the Appleton A’s.

“We needed this one,” said Sonnenburg. 

Later, he reported Dumont lost to Ortonville and Minneota ended up with the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, next to Land O’Ducks League champion Ortonville.

“The next trip (to New York) will be my final one, then I’ll be done for the summer,” Sonnenburg said.

“I’m looking forward to concentrating on baseball,” he said.

It hasn’t been easy. 

His job of conducting the tours has been a good job, but it’s meant missing some baseball games. And that’s tough since he’s the manager — not to mention the fact he’s missed lots of batting practice.

“It’s hard to stay sharp,” Sonnenburg said.

As a result, his batting average has suffered. But Sunday, he put that all behind him and swung away.

His home run cleared the left field fence in Appleton with Brock Buysse on base in the sixth. He also doubled to clear the bases in the fourth inning.

Danny Hennen pitched six innings, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts. 

Bryce Gorder went two innings with four more strikeouts and Adam Durfee finished the contest for the Mudhens with three more strikeouts for a total of 11 strikeouts by Mudhen hurlers. 

Jesse Drager was 2-4 with a pair of runs scored and Jake Leighton went 2-5 and knocked in a run and scored one. 

Henry Pesch scored a pair of runs for the Mudhens, who are now 12-9 overall going into the playoffs. 

 

NOTE: Because they have time off due to their high ranking, the Mudhens are trying to schedule extra games in an effort to stay sharp. They will play at 5:30 p.m., Sunday, July 22 at the Milroy Yankees. “We are trying to add a couple more (games),” said Sonnenburg.

Minneota has lost two, one-run games to the Yankees this season.

Minneota 11, Appleton 2

MINNEOTA (AB-R-H-RBI) Jordan Beck, 1b 3-1-0-1; Zach Nuy, 1b 2-0-1-1; Tyson Sonnenburg, cf 5-2-2-5; Jake Leighton, 2b-ss 5-1-2-1-; Adam Durfee, ss-p 5-0-1-0; Austin Buysse, 3b 5-0-1-0; Henry Pesch, lf 4-2-1-0; Jesse Drager, c 4-2-2-0; Danny Hennen, p 3-1-1-1; Bryce Gorder, p-2b 1-0-0-0; Brock Buysse, rf 2-1-0-1; James Chalky, rf 2-0-0-0. Totals 41-11-11-11.

APPLETON (AB-R-H-RBI) Ryan Lee, rf 3-0-1-0; Tyron Mulden, p 1-0-0-0; Tim Eliason, 1b 2-0-1-0; Ben Mulder, ph-1b 2-0-0-0; Mitch Ejnik, c 4-0-0-0; Dylan Erickson, p-2b 2-0-0-0; Dan Thielke, 2b 2-0-0-0; Joey Schreck, ss 3-1-1-; Collin Gades, dh 2-0-0-0; Isaiah Edmunds, 2b 2-1-1-0;  Nick Burkleo, 3b 2-0-0-0; Josh Guse, ph 1-0-0-0; Adam Kolander, lf 4-0-0-0; Jordan Long, cf 1-0-0-0; Cory Hennenburg, ph 1-0-0-0. Totals 32-2-4-0.

Score by Innings:

Minneota                               001 603 100 — 11 11 1

Appleton                               000 000 200 — 2  4   3

E-Minneota: A. Buysse; Appleton: Lee 2; Burkleo. LOB-Minneota: 9; Appleton 5. SB-Minneota: Beck, Durfee, Drager. 2B-Minneota: Sonnenburg, Drager; Appleton: Schreck. HR-Minneota: Sonnenburg.

Pitching                               IP    R    ER    H    BB    K

Minneota

Hennen (W)                          6     0     0       2     1      4

Gorder                                  2     2     0       2     0      4

Durfee                                  1     0     0       0     1      3

Appleton

Erickson (L)                          3.2  3     3       2     6      2

Lee                                       3.1  4     4       8     0      2

T. Molden                              2     1    0       3     1      1

Schreck                                1      0    0       0     0      2

HP-Burkelo (by Durfee).