Herald-Journal_349060

BY KIP KOVAR Herald Journal Sports Editor PLATO — The Plato Blue‐ jays were the lone undefeated team in the Crow River Valley League heading into their matchup with the Watertown Red Devils. After the game, there were no more unde‐ feated teams as the Red Devils came out on top with a huge 6- 3 win over the Bluejays June 20. Plato was in control of the game early leading 1-0 through four innings. Bennett Lepel gave the Bluejays an early lead in the bottom of the rst with an RBI single. Watertown had trouble get‐ ting anything going in the rst four innings against Plato’s Reece Schwirtz. To start the game, Schwirtz retired the rst 12 batters of the game but the Red Devils broke through in the top of the fth. Zach Iten was hit by a pitch to open the inning to give Wa‐ tertown their rst baserunner of the game. After a walk to Ben Trucke, an error by the Bluejays loaded the bases with nobody out. A bases-loaded walk to Mitch Kelzer tied the game at one but Watertown didn’t settle there. A sacri ce y from Nick Trucke put the Red Devils in front 2-1. An er‐ ror brought in another run for Watertown and the Red Devils added two more on a single by Jackson Meyer to take a 5-1 lead over the Bluejays. Down 6-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Plato chipped away at the de cit. Matt Odegaard kept the game alive with a two-out RBI single to bring Plato within three but that’s as close as the Bluejays would get as Iten picked up a big strikeout to end the game and seal the win for Watertown. WATERTOWN 6, PLATO 3 Tuesday, June 20 at Bluejays Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E DEVILS 0 0 0 0 5 0 1 0 0 6 3 1 BLUEJAYS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 8 2 WATERTOWN AB R H RBI Pat Tschida 4 0 1 1 Jackson Meyer 4 0 1 2 Chris Olson 4 0 0 0 Zach Iten 2 1 0 0 Ryan Hangartner 0 0 0 0 Ben Trucke 3 1 0 0 Ben Smith 4 1 0 0 Mitch Kelzer 3 1 0 1 Nick Trucke 3 0 0 1 Thomas Druk 4 2 1 1 Totals 31 6 3 6 BB: Hangartner, B. Trucke, Kelzer. SB: Druk, Tschida. Pitching IP H R ER BB SO Jonah Lewis, W 6 3 1 1 1 11 Pat Tschida 2.2 5 2 2 1 2 Zach Iten 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 PLATO AB R H RBI Dane Schwirtz 4 2 1 0 Reece Schwirtz 4 0 1 0 Matt Odegaard 4 0 3 2 Gabe Roepke 5 0 0 0 Bennett Lepel 3 0 1 1 Mitchell Boesche 4 0 0 0 Zack Stockman 2 0 0 0 Beau Lepel 2 0 1 0 Luke Roepke 2 0 0 0 Will Hoernemann 2 0 0 0 Caden Lang 4 1 1 0 Totals 38 3 8 3 BB: D. Schwirtz, R. Schwirtz. 2B: Lang. Pitching IP H R ER BB SO Reece Schwirtz, L 4.2 1 5 1 2 2 Will Hoernemann 4.1 2 1 1 1 5 June 23 2023 Volume 22, Number5 www.CRVLbaseball.com Standings through Tuesday, June 20 CRVL NORTH STANDINGS Watertown ...................... 11-1 - Waconia ........................... 11-2 0.5 Mayer ................................. 7-3 3 Westonka.......................... 6-6 5 St. Boni .............................. 5-7 6 New Germany................. 4-9 7.5 Glencoe............................. 3-9 8 Winsted ............................. 2-8 8 CRVL SOUTH STANDINGS Plato ................................... 9-1 - Cologne............................. 6-4 3 Green Isle.......................... 5-4 3.5 Brownton.......................... 5-5 4 Carver ................................ 3-5 5 Hamburg .......................... 3-6 5.5 Norwood ......................... 0-10 9 Upcoming Games Friday, June 23 Westonka at Glencoe, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 24 Carver at Mayer, 2 p.m. Winsted at Brownton, 2 p.m. Sunday, June 25 Glencoe at Winsted, 2 p.m. Mayer at New Germany, 2 p.m. St. Boni at Carver, 2 p.m. Cologne at Green Isle, 2 p.m. Watertown at Westonka, 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 27 Waconia at Plato, 7:30 p.m. Green Isle at Norwood, 7:30 p.m. Mayer at Winsted, 7:30 p.m. Cologne at Hamburg, 7:30 p.m. hutchhealth.com Everyday care Right in your neighborhood Urgent care: Check our website for our most up to date times. 3 Century Ave. Hutchinson, MN 320-234-3290 | 800-944-2690 Red Devils hand Plato rst CRVL loss PHOTO BY KIP KOVAR Pat Tschida and the Watertown Red Devils handed the Plato Bluejays their rst CRVL loss of the season with a 6-3 win June 20.