The hometown Prior Lake Jays could not keep pace with the Hutchinson Huskies and were defeated 8-4 on Thursday night. The Jays scored one run in the top of the first inning after Mitchell Goodwin doubled and Troy Lynch singled. In the third, Prior Lake scored one run on Goodwin’s solo home run to left field. Goodwin returned to the Prior Lake roster after a year’s sabbatical in 2023.
The Hutchinson Huskies flipped the game on its head in the bottom of the third, scoring five runs on five hits to take a 5-3 lead. The biggest blow in the inning was a double by Tyler Schiller on a full count that drove in three.
Following a brief rain delay (and a quick bathroom break), Michael Gabbard hit a solo home run to left field in the top of the sixth for the Jays.
The seventh brought more pain for the Jays as the Huskies Jake Wendland homered to right field, scoring two runs.
Sam Starke earned the win for Hutchinson. The starting pitcher surrendered eight hits and four runs over six innings, striking out three and walking one. Tyus Smith took the loss for the Prior Lake Jays. Smith went four innings, giving up five runs on six hits, striking out four and walking two. Schiller earned the save.
The Jays accumulated nine hits in the game. Goodwin, Beau Rabey, and David Flasher each collected two hits. Goodwin led the squad with two runs batted in. They went 2-for-5 on the day. The Huskies collected 10 hits in the game. Matt Piechowski, Jayden Fleck, Marcus Hahn, and Cody Arlt each collected two hits for Hutchinson. Schiller went 1-for-4 at the plate as the left-handed hitter led the team with three runs batted in.
The Jays are back in action on Tuesday, June 4, when they take it on the road and pay an overdue visit to the Belle Plaine Tigers in non-league action. The first pitch is slated for 7:15 PM.