Top-seeded Panthers fall to Blue Earth Area, Waseca, finish 11-5
By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
One of the best regular seasons in NRHEG High School baseball his- tory came to an end last week.
The No. 1-seeded Panthers dropped two home playoff contests Tuesday and Thursday, losing 14-0 and 10-4 to Blue Earth Area and Waseca, respectively.
It took the Panthers 10 innings into the postseason before they notched their first run. Jackson Chrz lasted only a third of an inning against Blue Earth, allowing five runs. In that contest, the Panthers recorded six errors and only allowed three earned runs. Sam Olson pitched 3 2/3 inning in relief. allowing no runs. Jared Lee allowed nine runs in relief before Chrz reentered to record the final out of the sixth inning.
Junior Daxter Lee pitched admirably against Waseca, giving up five runs in the third. Lee, lasted 6 1/3 inning before being pulled due to pitch count. Chrz recorded the final outs as five more runs were scored.
The Panthers’ only threats came in the bottom of the third inning and bottom of the seventh. The Panthers stranded runners in the third after scoring one. A bunt with runners on the corners and one out didn’t help the matter either. In the seventh, senior Andrew Phillips tripled in his final at-bat as a Panther, igniting a three-run rally that just fell short.
“I had a plan and it didn’t really fall into place,” NRHEG coach Mark Lee said after the loss to Waseca. “I thought we had it worked out just right, but the base- ball Gods said it wasn’t gonna happen.
“I felt like the boys never gave up and never stopped trying,” Lee continued. “We have an amazing group of kids and I just hope they come next year. We have an incredible group. I can’t say enough about our
seniors, Andrew and Ethan. These two seniors are going on to do special, extraordinary things. Andrew, in baseball and life. And Ethan, in whatever he chooses to do... Every day Ethan found a way to put a smile on my face with something he did in practice or on the field. And Andrew, he would just give you that smile and put you in a good mood. I’ m gonna miss these two. They’ve been here since I started coaching.”
Lee said he’s been with this group since most of them were 14 years old.
For Phillips, this was the final time he and his dad shared a field together. Assistant coach Aaron Phillips has been a coach on every team Andrew has been a part of since T-ball. Andrew is set to play Division I baseball on a scholarship at South Dakota State next year.
“Thank you Mark for everything you did,” Andrew said after the game. “And thank my dad for being there. And thank you to my team- mates on a great season. We shared a lot of fun memories.”
Andrew said his advice for young teammates is to keep working hard, and to “Take it all in.”
It goes so fast.
The Panthers finished with a final record of 11-5 and graduated two seniors, Thompson and Phillips.
In the Section 2 playoffs, LeSeuer-Henderson will play the winner of the elimination bracket for a trip to the state tournament. Teams remaining, playing for the chance to play in that game, as of Tuesday, were Blue Earth, Waseca, and Belle Plaine.
Blue Earth, after its win over NRHEG, lost to LeSueur-Henderson 7-5 and then defeated Sibley East 2-1. Waseca defeated TCU 4-2 on Saturday. Those two teams played Tuesday night, with the winner facing Belle Plaine.