Baseball roundup: YME Sting on the cusp of history

Jun. 3—MILROY — Between his beard and shock of red hair poking out of his cap, Bryce Sneller's grin was hard to hide.

The 6-foot-6 right-hander for the Yellow Medicine East baseball team encompasses the relaxed state of the dugout for a team that earned the top seed in the Section 3A-North sub-section.

"Our kids are really good at just putting the past in the past and going with what's right in front of them," said YME head coach Trevor Schulte. "I don't worry about them overlooking teams or getting really too confident. They just do a very good job of that; they're just loose and enjoying the ride here and playing for each other. It's just fun to watch them play."

Knowing a pitching duel was coming against Russell-Tyler-Ruthton and its ace, Cody Wichmann, Sneller wasn't shaken. He ended up being the ace that put the Sting on the verge of a state tournament berth.

Sneller kept the Knights off the scoreboard in a 2-0 victory in the 3A semifinals Saturday at Yankees Field.

"After the first two innings, I was super confident in my stuff," said Sneller after striking out eight and surrendering three hits and two walks. "I saw they weren't hitting it great and they were backing up. Just had to shut 'em down and keep it going."

With the win, YME claimed a spot in the section championship Thursday. The Sting look to make state for the first time in program history (Clarkfield made state in 1986 and Granite Falls qualified in 1953).

"This is a pretty special group of kids and to come out of that game against a good team like RTR and facing a pitcher like Wichmann is a testament to our kids," said Schulte, who is in his 12th season as head coach. "They never gave up and they've been doing that all year."

Before the contest, Sting leadoff batter Cody Dahlager knew both teams were in for a low-scoring affair.

"We're pretty hard-headed kids. So right away, I said it was going to be a 1-0 game," Dahlager said. "Turns out, he wasn't far off.

"It was a really good game. Cody's a phenomenal pitcher and so is Bryce. We knew it was going to be a quick game and a hard game."

Scoreless through four innings, an RTR error opened the door for YME as Nahum Tarin reached base. He got to second after a wild pitch. Dahlager drove Tarin home with a two-out single to put YME ahead 1-0.

After striking out in his first two at-bats, Dahlager finally delivered.

"The first two at-bats, I was too amped up," Dahlager said. "I finally settled down and realized you just have to play baseball at the end of the day."

RTR started a late rally in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Chase Christianson drew a walk, Wichmann singled and Blake Christianson drew another walk to load the bases.

"(Sneller) stayed out of bad counts and I think he started getting a little tired with the heat and the weather," Schulte said. "We just needed to get out there, get him to take his breaths and slow down and get back to attacking hitters. And that's what he did."

With Hayden Gravley in the batter's box, Sneller ended the threat with a strikeout.

"He hasn't touched it all day, so just gotta throw strikes," Sneller said.

"My whole body was shaking and the whole crowd was going crazy. After I struck him out, I wanted to scream. I was so happy."

Tarin and Dahlager teamed up once again in the top of the seventh. With Tarin reaching base on a fielder's choice and reaching third after an infield error, Dahlager delivered another single that brought in the insurance run.

"Cody has been doing it all year for us; he's come up big for us," Schulte said. "He's got a different mindset now that we're in the playoffs. I don't think he's going to allow us to lose here. He's going to put us on his back.

"We kind of follow his lead. He's a great leadoff hitter. He came in the dugout and said, hey, two strikeouts and two hits, that's a good day. That's kind of his mindset."

Waiting on the loser's bracket to play out, YME will stay relaxed and ready.

"We know all three of these teams left are phenomenal teams," Dahlager said. "It's going to be tough on Thursday."

YME 000 010 1-0 5 0

RTR 000 000 0-0 3 2

Hitting — RTR: Aiden Wichmann 1-3, Cody Wichmann 1-2 sb-2 hbp, Blake Christianson 1-2 ... YME: Cody Dahlager 2-4, Bryce Sneller 1-2 bb, Jake Odegard 1-3, Drew Almich 1-2 bb, Narin Tarin 0-3 r-2

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) — RTR: C. Wichmann (L) 7-5-2-0-3-6 ... YME: Sneller (W) 7-3-0-0-2-8

Paynesville's Bryce VanderBeek threw a no-hitter while keeping the Bulldogs' postseason hopes alive with a win over Windom at Legion Field in Marshall.

With the win in the Section 3AA elimination bracket, Paynesville faces Fairmont at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Marshall. The winner plays Luverne at 5 p.m. Thursday for the section championship at a site to be determined.

VanderBeek struck out four, giving up two walks in the complete-game victory.

Both of the Bulldogs' runs came in the bottom of the first inning. Austin Pauls drove in Grayson Fuchs on a single and Max Athmann scored on an Eagles error.

Utsch had two of Paynesville's six hits.

Windom 000 000 0-0 0 1

Paynesville 200 000 x-2 6 0

Hitting — Windom: No hits ... Paynesville: Grayson Fuchs 1-2 r bb, Mat Athmann 1-1 r bb sb, Austin Pauls 1-3 rbi, Josiah Utsch 2-3 rbi, Brayden VanderBeek 1-3 2b sb

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) — Windom: Josh Garrison (L) 6-6-2-2-3-1 ... Paynesville: Bryce VanderBeek (W) 7-0-0-0-2-4