SUPERMAN - Chris Glynn dives home to score during second round playoff action for the Braves, who hosted Lake Crystal Sunday, July 24, defeating the Lakers 10-2. After the play Glynn said he needed the photo for his online dating profile, and was told it not only would be posted on the Pioneer Facebook page, but also appear in next week’s edition. So, Ladies, Chris is in fact single and ready to mingle. The Braves return to action Saturday July 30 on the road versus a remaining high seed. Pioneer photo by Eli Lutgens
Nelson powers Braves past Lake Crystal
Waseca advances in baseball playoffs with 10-2 triumph
Waseca advances in baseball playoffs with 10-2 triumph
Wed, 12/28/2022 - 11:09pm
“If the pitched ball doesn’t cross the foul line, then it’s a balk.”
— Tink Larson
After stranding 14 runners in a 7-4 loss to Morristown in the opening round of the playoffs Saturday, the Waseca Braves blew Lake Crystal out of the water in a 10-2 rout at Tink Larson Field Sunday, July 24.
In front of about 50 fans, ace Kelvin Nelson tossed a gem, allowing two runs on six hits while walking one and striking out nine.
The Braves scored five early runs, providing Nelson with room to work. Nelson helped his own cause in the first inning, reaching first on a hit by pitch. He was run around the bases on two pass balls before scoring on a Chris Glynn groundout to first.
“That fake bunt got ‘em,” coach Tink Larson joked after Glynn successfully pulled back two straight bunt attempts.
Kyle Waugh singled sharply in the inning, but was picked off of first to end the threat.
Nelson needed only six pitches to retire the Lakers in the second.
The Braves added a run in their half of the inning after a pop fly single off the bat of Ryan Wangen was followed by a beautiful sac bunt from Alex Faeney. A two-hopper just fair down the third field line by Peyton Garza plated the second run of the game.
A three-run third put Waseca ahead for good. Nelson, helping his own effort again, led off the inning with a double. After a walk, Waugh redeemed his earlier gaffe, plating both runners with a sharp grounder off the glove of the diving Lakers third baseman. Two batters later, Danny Cromer plated Waugh with a double off the base of the right field wall. The Braves left two runners in scoring position, but the damage was done.
In the fourth, the Lakers notched their first run of the game after a lead off double from Dom Camacho was plated via a Justin Schwanke single.
Camacho later scored the second and final run for the Lakers after he reached via an infield single in the sixth. He scored on a misread ball, resulting in an RBI double for Adam Sulkow.
The Braves exploded for five runs in the eighth, threatening to end the game early via the 10-run rule, if not for a home-run-length ball gone foul.
Alex Feeney and Cromer led off the eighth with singles and both scored on a Scooter Hansen sharp single between short and third. Scooter later scored on a pass ball after a balk put him on third. An interesting moment occurred when, initially, Scooter was called out at third. Larson argued the call, resulting in the umpires making the correct call of a balk, requiring the Lakers to retake the field defensively.
“If the pitched ball doesn’t cross the foul line, then it’s a balk,” Larson explained. “He fell during his delivery and so that explains that.”
The Lakers pitcher, notably, had a unique stance which, while in the windup, included him starting with his back to the batter, with a spin incorporated into his delivery.
After the balk, a walk and hit batsman put Nelson and Flynn on base, who scored on a single from Waugh and a double by Wangen.
“Wangen didn’t come through with the home run, but he did have three nice hits today,” Larson said after the game.
The Lakers went quietly in the ninth. Not one time during the game did the Braves have someone up in the bullpen.
After the game, head coach Blake Nelson told the Braves they will play Saturday against one of three teams: Wells, Blue Earth or Minnesota Lake. “We can beat any one of those,” Blake said. “We just need to continue to improve offensively and defensively.”
Neither team had any errors as the Lakers' season came to an end. Saturday afternoon, July 31, the Braves travel to whomever the high seed is remaining of the three teams listed above.
