Turner bouncer helps Post 5 beat Marshall in Legion playoffs
Jul. 19—MANKATO — Coy Turner's one-out, two-run single in the top of the eighth inning broke a 2-2 tie and helped the Worthington Senior American Legion baseball team to a 4-2 extra-inning victory over Marshall Tuesday in the first round of the postseason playoffs.
Post 5 led most of the way at ISG Field in Mankato, but Marshall scored a single run off relief pitcher Triston Sauerbrei in the bottom of the seventh inning to extend the game. The showdown was ended in the eighth, however, thanks to Worthington bats that came alive in response.
Jake Brandner's ringing single to center-field led off the top of the eighth inning. Then Tate Gaul, after missing his first attempt to bunt, swung away and hit a liner to third base. Marshall third sacker Andrew Wallen made a nifty play to take a hit away from Gaul, but his throw to first base led his first baseman off the bag.
Now the Worthingtonians had runners on first and third with nobody out. Tommy Lais was called out on a third strike, but the next hitter, the left-handed-swinging Turner, bounced a base hit off pitcher Tyler Maeyaert's glove into center-field. Brandner and Gaul (who had moved up to second) both scooted home safely.
In the bottom of the eighth, Worthington's Brock Bruns — the third Post 5 hurler following starter Blake Ahrenstorff and reliever Sauerbrei — got Marshall out with little difficulty to preserve the win.
Worthington, now 16-5 on the season, will face the winner of Tuesday's game against Sleepy Eye and Jordan on Wednesday (July 20) at ISG Field, the home of the Mankato Moondogs semi-pro team (a second Wednesday game will be played at 5 p.m. or 7 p.m.). The tournament continues Thursday and Saturday.
"I got down in the count right away," Turner said after Tuesday's game, "so that kind of stunk. You just gotta keep your head. ... I saw it come over the plate. I just swung. Good things happen."
ISG Field is springy artificial turf, which Legion teams rarely see. Fortunately for Turner, his bouncer took off.
"Usually when you hit it like that, it's a hard play — especially on artificial turf," he said.
Post 5 broke open a scoreless game with two runs in the second inning off Marshall's ace left-hander, Charlie Jacobson. Kent Lais stroked a one-out single and stole second. Cooper McCoy dropped a single inches in front of Marshall right-fielder Lincoln Graven, which he could not corral. As Graven picked it up, he fired to second to attempt to cut down the still-running McCoy, but the throw skidded wildly into left-field, scoring Lais and putting McCoy on third. A single by Bruns plated the second run.
Marshall scored once in the bottom of the second, and that's where it stayed until the seventh inning.
Ahrenstorff pitched admirably for six full innings, thrice stranding Marshall runners in scoring position.
"Blake Ahrenstorff absolutely was a rock star," said Post 5 head coach Tim Gaul. "That's the kind of pitcher we know he is. He came in there and did great."
After the Worthington team allowed Marshall to draw even in the seventh, the Worthington players were ready to re-take control.
"We were just making sure we were keeping each others' heads up," said Turner. "We've had some problems in the past, with us losing momentum and us not getting it back."
"I said to those guys, 'We gotta decide if we're really the team we think we are. If we're really 15 and 5, we can come back," Coach Gaul said.
Worthington 020 000 02 — 4-6-1
Marshall 010 000 10 — 2-9-2
