Bulldogs exact revenge against Orabs

(Sentinel photo by Jesse Geleynse) Le Mars' Keaton Rowe signals for teammate Aaron Fischer not to slide as Fischer scores a run for the Bulldogs in their win over Sheldon. [Click to enlarge]

Zach Lancaster knew how badly the Le Mars baseball team needed a one-run victory.

And with two outs and Sheldon's tying run on third, the senior second baseman made diving stop in the hole and threw from his knees to nip the Orab runner by half a step and preserve the 6-5 Lakes Conference victory.

"He had a couple infield hits earlier in the game, so I wasn't going to let him get another one," Lancaster said. "We know we need to win those close games and it's good to finally get one."

The stellar game-ending play capped an effort that saw the Bulldogs come from behind and maintain the lead for the victory - a night after they coughed up a seventh inning lead to visiting Bishop Heelan.

"We made some plays and hopefully that's going to help," Le Mars coach Trent Eckstaine said. "You just gotta get one of those and then you go, 'Oh, that's what it takes.' I'm pretty sure that's going to carry over for us.

The 'Dogs have struggled in one-run games during Lakes Conference play this season. They fell by a lone run to Class 3A No. 8 Estherville-Lincoln both times they faced the Midgets this season and dropped a 1-0 decision to Class 2A No. 1 Cherokee.

Le Mars also lost non-conference games by one run to Sioux City East and Okoboji this season.

"We need(ed) to nail down one of these - one of these tight ones - and get things figured out," Eckstaine said.

The win also avenged an embarrassing 19-0, four-inning loss at Sheldon on June 3.

"It's good," Lancaster said. "It feels good to get back at them and get a win tonight."

Le Mars did most of its damage with a five-run third inning that erased a 3-1 Sheldon lead.

Keaton Rowe led off the frame with a single and Aaron Fischer reached on an error. Tyler Candor reached on an infield single to load the bases and Tanner Dowling drove home two with a single.

Jay Penning walked to reload the bases and Taylor Oetken followed with a walk to force home another run. One out later, Ryan Baue drove home two more on a double to make it 6-3.

That is how it stayed until the top of the seventh. Starting pitcher Brayton Ringsdorf began to show signs of fatigue as a single, a walk, a groundout and an RBI single made it 6-4 and spelled the end of his evening.

Reliever Judd Herzberg came in from third base with runners on second and third and induced an RBI groundout to Fischer at short to make it 6-5 and leave the tying run on third. That set up Lancaster's game-saving play to seal the victory.

Ringsdorf earned the win with 6 1/3 innings of 11-hit, five-run baseball. He walked four and struck out three.

"He comes in, he does a good job (and) he battles," Eckstaine said of his junior southpaw. "There's not a whole lot else I can ask of that kid. He does a good job."

Herzberg earned the save with his 2/3 inning of relief.

"That's one thing Judd has really shown - that he can come in, throw strikes and he shows a lot of maturity on mound," Eckstaine said of the sophomore. "He doesn't get frazzled and that's good to see."

Dowling was the only Le Mars hitter with more than one hit as the junior was 2-for-3with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.

He led off the bottom of the second inning with a double and scored on an RBI groundout by Oetken for Le Mars' first run.

The 'Dogs (10-9, 6-4) travel to Emmetsburg on Thursday.

Of note: Le Mars was without the services of senior third baseman Chris Bergquist, who pulled a hamstring during Tuesday's loss to Heelan. Eckstaine said Bergquist will be out at least one week and possibly two weeks. Herzberg started in Bergquist's place on Wednesday.