(Audubon) The Audubon baseball team took advantage of nine walks and posted five hits on their way to an 11-1 victory in five innings over ACGC on Thursday.
The Wheelers plated a pair of runs in the 2nd, erupted for seven in the 3rd, and ended it early with two runs in the 5th. They improve to 8-14 on the season, snapping a 3-game skid.
The first three Audubon batters of the 3rd inning all reached on walks. Cooper Nielsen and Alex Foran delivered back-to-back one out hits, with Nielsen driving in two runs. Braden Wessel brought in a run on a bases loaded walk, Ethan Klocke ripped an RBI single, and Gavin Smith plated two with a base hit.
Leading 9-1 in the 5th, two runs scored on a dropped third strike to bring the game to an abrupt finish on the mercy rule. All the activity in the final frame came with two outs. Gavin Smith singled and Joel Klocke walked. With Gavin Larsen at the plate, Smith got a late break for 3rd on a pitch in the dirt, but was able to scoot around the tag. Later in the Larsen at bat, Klocke moved up to 2nd without a throw. Larsen struck out, but the throw to first was low and two runs came home. The Wheelers put double digit runs on the board for the first time since June 1st.
Gavin Larsen and Braden Wessel handled things on the mound for Audubon. Larsen gave up one hit, three walks, and hit two batters with five strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. Wessel retired all five batters he faced in relief.
ACGC’s only tally in the game came in the 4th inning. Reid Rumelhart led off the inning with a single followed by walks from Eli Kading and Lucas Marsh. A Clayton Wardyn ground ball scored Rumelhart. Wardyn suffered the loss on the mound. He struck out six, walked nine, and allowed four hits in 2 2/3 innings. Lance Bunde pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up one hit and two walks with one strikeout. The Chargers fall to 10-19.
