Jays 1-1 in Section 3B playoffs; need win Friday to stay alive

By Justin Braun

Ben Eisenberg delivers to Tommy Keating, striking out Jared Davidson to end the 6th inning at Victoria 8/4/20-PHOTO BY Tex Chapman priorlakebaseball.com

Prior Lake Jays 7 – Victoria Vics 4

Even though the Jays gave up four runs in the first inning, they still came out on top defeating the Victoria Vic’s 7-4 on Sunday.

The Jays would come from behind and lead the way with two runs in the fourth inning behind a Jeff Butler double scoring two runs. In a key sequence in the Victoria 5th inning and a 5-4 Jays lead, Vic centerfielder Carter Schmidt singled with 2 outs bringing firstbaseman Matt Dolan to the plate. Dolan jumped on the 1st pitch lacing a hard liner deep to the left center power alley. Jays leftfielder Sam Emmerich was on his horse tracking the ball and launched and had the ball in glove on the dive but it popped out on landing. With the speedy Schmidt wheeling with 2 outs, Emmerich gathered the ball and fired to shortstop Mitch Goodwin who spun and fired the ball from shallow leftfield to catcher Tommy Keating who buried Schmidt at home to end the threat and inning lifting the road faithful and Jays dugout. The Jays would tack on 2 insurance runs in the 6th inning for what would hold as the 7-4 final score.

Ben Eisenberg would get the win for the Jays. He surrendered four runs on nine hits over eight innings, striking out 12 and walking one. Jake Larson threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen. Larson recorded the last three outs to earn the save.

Prior Lake racked up eight hits in the game. Jett Heinen and Austin Gordon each managed multiple hits with Heinen going 3 for 4 on the night.

Chaska Cubs 7 – Prior Lake Jays 1

The Jays fell quickly, losing 7-1 to the Chaska Cubs on Tuesday night.

Chaska scored three runs in the third, and the same again in the fifth inning. Austin Gordon would homer in the fourth in an unsuccessful attempt to get the Jays going.

Matt Cady took the loss for the Jays. He lasted four and two-thirds innings, allowing seven hits and six runs while striking out one and walking one. Cooper Smith threw 2 1/3 innings yielding 1 run with 2 walks and 3 hits and Ben Koopman threw a scoreless 8th inning allowing 1 hit and striking out 2 Cubs.

The Jays would be held to one hit and stranded 3, while the Cubs tallied 11 hits during the game with Drake Kilber picking up the complete game win for Chaska striking out 10 and walking 2.

Up Next

The Jays will take on the winner of the Shakopee Indians vs. Excelsior Islanders game taking place Wednesday evening. The winner of that game will battle the Jays on Friday night at 7:30 pm. If Shakopee wins, the game will be played at Joe Schleper Stadium in Shakopee, and if Excelsior wins, the game would be played at Veterans Field in Prior Lake.

UPDATE 8/6: Shakopee 7-4 over Excelsior. PL Jays at Shakopee Friday 8/7 730PM

The Jays are 1-1 in the Section 3B Playoffs. A win on Friday night would qualify the Jays for the 2020 MBA Class B State Tournament. A loss would ground the Jays until next year.

LINK/CLICK: 2020 MBA Section 3B Playoff Info

Watch the web or check the Nuvera PL Hardball Hotline at 952-226-3800 for playoff updates.