The Prior Lake Jays took part in the Arlington and Gaylord’s Miller High Life Invite tournament over the past weekend and won four straight games to be crowned the 2019 champions.
Game #1
Prior Lake Jays (3) vs. Regal Eagles (0)
The Jays hit their stride in the second inning. Catcher Ben Kelsey started out the inning reaching base on a walk, followed by walks to Russ Tanner and Jimmy Cosgrove. Mitch Goodwin would come in to courtesy run for Kelsey, steal second base and make his way home on several passed balls. With one out, Adam Cress would single to center field scoring Tanner and Cosgrove would score on a sacrifice fly by Jeff Butler. In all the Jays would plate three runs in the second inning.
Lawson Zenner earned the complete game shutout for the Jays and kept the Eagles to just three hits while striking out six.
Kelsey and Cress delivered the lone hits in a 3-0 victory for the Jays.
Game #2
Prior Lake Jays (4) vs. Dawson Drakes (0)
Pitcher Sam Schlachter led the Jays to a 4-0 victory against the Dawson Drakes in Game 2. In his complete game appearnce, Schlachter allowed just three hits and tallied a remarkable 16 strikeouts against the 27 batters that he faced.
In the bottom of the second inning, Jimmy Cosgrove would reach on an error, advance to second base on a passed ball, steal third base, and then score on an error by the Drakes catcher putting the Jays on the board.
Corey Goodwin would lead off the third inning with a line drive single to center field. With one out, Tommy Keating would take a turn and belt a triple to center field scoring Goodwin. Mitchell Goodwin’s ground ball was too much for the third baseman to handle allowing him to reach on an score and would send Keating across the plate for the second Jays run of the inning. Mitchell Goodwin would come around to score on an error by the catcher, plating three more runs in the third.
The Drakes threatened to strike in the seventh inning, but the strong pitching of Schlacter help them off and led the Jays to another win to put them in the champion’s bracket and guaranteed them a game on Sunday.
Game #3
Prior Lake Jays (13) vs. Rosemount Black Sox (6)
The Jays attached right away in the first inning when with two outs, Tommy Keating doubled to left field. Keating would be plated off a Ben Kelsey single giving the Jays the early 1-0 lead.
The Jays would put up five runs in the second off RBI singles by Cody Kashmark and Corey Goodwin, an RBI walk from Ben Kelsey, and a two-run double by Mitchell Goodwin.
With one run each in the third and fourth innings, three in the fifth, and two in the sixth, altogether the Jays would tally 14 hits. Keating would lead the team with three hits in the game, Kelsey with three walks, and Mitchell Goodwin with four RBI.
Matt Cady got the start and the win for the Jays throwing 6 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits with three strikeouts. Mitchell Goodwin would come in to finish the last out by recording a strikeout to retire the Black Sox in a 13-6 Jays win.
Championship Game
Prior Lake Jays (8) vs. Cold Spring Springers (4)
The Jays would go on to battle the Cold Spring Springers for the Championship Sunday night.
Ben Kelsey would single on a line drive to left field in the first inning scoring Jeff Butler. Butler would come back in the third to lead off with a single and later in the inning be driven in by Kelsey giving the Jays an early 2-0 lead.
The Springers were scoreless through four innings but came back scoring one run in the fifth, and after the Jays scored one run in the sixth off of a Rob Frederick double, would answer back with three runs taking the lead 4-3 after six innings.
In the seventh inning, Jonesy Buescher would single scoring Corey Goodwin, followed by another single from Frederick scoring Matt Cady, and Jimmy Cosgrove single that plated Buescher. Finally Jeff Butler would single scoring Cosgrove giving the Jays a four run lead ahead of the Springers.
Ben Koopman would throw five innings for the Jays, giving up four runs, allowing seven hits, and walking three. In a last attempt the Springers would make it interesting with a double followed by several walks, but with two walks, their last batter would fly out to Mitchell Goodwin at third base to seal the 8-4 championship victory for the Prior Lake Jays. Brandt Broderick would pitch in relief not allowing any runs, only one hit, while striking out two and being named the winning pitcher of the championship game.
Most Valuable Player
Corey Goodwin of the Prior Lake Jays was named the 2019 Miller High Life Invitational Tournament Most Valuable Player.