Indians advance to State with two elimination game wins

By: 
Jay Schneider, lrlife@frontiernet.net

The Waterville Indians will be making their 10th State Tournament appearance after placing third in the Region 6C Playoffs. Front row, left to right: Sam Stier, Isaac Turner, Brody Boran, Thomas Hiller, Nolan Wetzel, Ty Kaus, and Nolan Grose. Back row, left to right: Coach Rick Sellner, Jayson Schneider, Ben Boran, Luke Sellner, Shane Sellner, Dalton Grose, Josh Cook, and Colby Fessel. Not pictured: Riley Schultz, Tom Gannon, Dallas McBroom, Bladyn Bartelt, Mac Lemcke, and Tyler Brekke.

With their backs against the wall and needing two wins to advance, the Waterville Indians amateur baseball team did just that Saturday, Aug. 13 in Region 6C Playoff action in Belle Plaine.

The Indians defeated Belle Plaine, 5-4, scoring two runs in the bottom of the eighth. They also avenged a loss to St. Peter, shutting out the Saints, 4-0, in the third place game, the game which advanced the team into the Class C State Tournament.

Waterville will play Friday, Aug. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Faribault against Loretto in their first round State Tourney game. A loss and their season is done. A win and they will play the following weekend against Bird Island in this single elimination State Tourney.

In the win over Belle Plaine, the home team scored a run in the top of the first innings on a walk and a double. Waterville countered with a single run in the bottom of the second when Josh Cook reached on an error and scored on a double by Nolan Grose.

The Indians took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third on a single by Ty Kaus and a run scoring double by Luke Sellner. The lead grew to two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Cook singled and scored later on a single by Isaac Turner. Belle Plaine used four hits, including a home run by Brody Curtis, to score three runs in the top of the eighth to take a 4-3 lead.

With two outs and a one runner on in the bottom of the eighth, Ben Boran hit a run scoring double to score Kaus and tie the game at 4-all. Shane Sellner followed with a double, knocking in Boran with the eventual winning run.

Dalton Grose pitched the first eight innings, allowing four runs on 10 hits. He walked three and struck out nine. Luke Sellner came in in the ninth and with two outs loaded the bases with a pair of walks and an error at third base. But Sellner got the last batter to ground out to secure the win.

Boran, Cook, and S. Sellner each collected two hits. Kaus scored...

To see more on this story pick up the August 18, 2022 print edition of the LifeEnterprise. 

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