PL Jays Battle to #5 in RVL 2018 Playoffs, 1-1 in Elimination vs Burnsville and Shakopee

By Joseph Chapman

Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 2:10 PM CDT

The PL Jays, getting dropped from the “pair-wise” qualifying path to MBA “B” Tournament for 2018 losing 2 games to #3 seeded Chanhassen had a must win August 9 hosting a familiar playoff foe, the Burnsville Bobcats. The Bobcats ended the Jays 2017 season hosting the Jays in the “same game” of the unchanged 2018 format at a quiet and concession free Alimagnet.

PL Jays Host Burnsville Bobcats 8/9:

8/2/17 Veterans Field-PL Jays pitcher Mike Edlefsen tossed 9 complete scattering 9 hits while walking 1 and striking out 10 in the Jays 5-1 Playoff clinching win. PHOTO BY: Justin Braun

The Jays sent Mike Edlefsen to the hill on 4 days rest Thursday 8/9 having completed the Friday Chanhassen Game 1 on Sunday 8/5 and although hitting the 1st batter, recorded a 1-2-3 inning with catcher Ben Kelsey throwing out Bobcats leadoff Tyler Hill who tried to advance to 2nd on the next batter. The Jays got on the board on a walk to 2nd baseman leadoff Jeff Butler, stolen base and sacrifice bunt by centerfielder Jonsey Buescher followe by a full count RBI double by Joe Loftus. With 2 outs, catcher Ben Kelsey hit a ground ball inducing an error plating Loftus for a 2-0 score then ending the inning attempting to run to 2nd but getting thrown out by the catcher who’d fired the ball to 2nd base following the throw to home.

Following a 1-2-3 2nd and 5 batter 3rd inning that stranding 2 Bobcats, the Jays Butler walked, stoled 2nd and advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch by Burnsvilles Henry Ristveldt before scoring on a RBI sacrifice fly by Buescher making the score 3-0 Jays after 3 completed. The Bobcats offense awoke in the 4th inning with a leadoff walk to Matt Trocke which was followed by a shallow fly to right that Jason Peter checked up on only to see it take an unusual hard and high hop (possible sprinkler head) over his head and to the fence off the bat of Brian VanDerwoude who advanced to 3rd and plated Burnsvilles 1st run. Pruszinske ripped RBI grounder up the middle before an out was recorded narrowing the score to 3-2. Catcher Harazin reached on a hard hit that bounced over the outstretched Ryan McDonald at 3rd before Cooper Maas hit a fly to deep 2nd that Jeff Butler was unable to catch on the run allowing Prusinzske to score knotting the game 3-3 and advancing Harazin to 2nd with 2 outs. Tyler Hill then hit a ball sharply to shortstop Corey Goodwin which was scored as an error and advance Maas to 3rd with Hill at 1st and a 4-3 Bursville score with 2 outs. Edlefsen escaped the 4 run inning on a grounder to 3rd that McDonald fired to 1st.

Both teams offense went silent in the 5th and 6th frames with Edlefsen working out of a 1 out, 2 on jamb after consecutive singles by the middle of the Bobcats offense before a 4-6-3 Butler, CGoodwin, Keating double play ended the threat in the 5th. The Jays had 1-2-3 5th and 6 innings striking out 3 times to pitcher Ristveldt. Edlefsen was lifted after 6 innings work and a 4-3 deficit with reliever TJ Larson walking 1 and striking out 1 facing 4 batters in the top of the 7th. Following DJ Hous dropping Mr Worldwide on the public address the Jays chased Ristveldt from the game on a leadoff double by catcher Ben Kelsey in the bottom of the 7th. The ball, a low line drive that speedy Tyler Hill dove for allowed Kelsey the 2 bagger. With the fleet footed Lawson Zenner inserted at 2nd base as pinch runner, Ryan McDonald, who struggled transitioning to townball after a standout season and career with the PL Lakers, ran the count full before lacing a ball to right field that brought Copper Maas up firing with Zenner peddle down around 3rd base in a flashback to Laker High gridiron, then launched at the plate head first from circles edge striking a “Superman pose” fully planking mid-air reaching the plate and bouncing under the high throw that chased Ristveldt from the game and tied the score at 4-4 and firing up the PL partisans who had settled in with the Jays silent bats for the mid point of the night. Jason Peter sac bunted McDonald to 2nd base on Burnsville relief pitcher Luke Chinn but McDonald was stranded with Tom Keating and Corey Goodwin working counts but striking out to end the inning.

Larson fired a 1-2-3 Burnsville 8th while the Jays stranded Buescher sending the game to the 9th knotted 4-4 in the elimination game for both teams. With TJ Larson firing up the hometown Jays in his return, the Bobcats 8,9 & 1 hitters had little hope with Larson putting up 3 strikeouts in the quick 9th. Bobcats pitcher Luke Chinn bagged the win in their 2017 playoff matchup and was working down in the order recording outs on groundouts to McDonald and Peter up the middle. With 2 down in the 9th Chinn started Keating with a strike before Keating would end the game, and Bobcats season on a ball lofted high into the leftcenter night. As the ball carried the assembled were hushed to see if the ‘Cats center or leftfielder would be able to reach the gap to send the game to extras but it carried out over the leftcenter wall sending the crowd into a frenzy and Jays bench to meet Keating at the plate with a shower of cold water greeting him as he touched home for the bottom of 9th winning score as the crowd and team celebrated the big playoff game winner at Veterans Field.

The 5-4 Jays win would end Burnsvilles season in the “Elimination Series Game”, advancing the PL Jays past the game that ended their 2017 and slate a Friday night winner take all game at 2018 MBA Tournament host Shakopee.

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Pitch2Pitch Webcam Game Replay (CLICK TO VIEW)

Special THANKS for support from Pitch2Pitch as flagship sponsor of webcast as well Balloon Ascensions Unlimited, The Pointe Grille and Bar and Village Liquor in Prior Lake. Pitch2Pitch is the premier baseball training and support facility in the SW Metro with locations both in Burnsville and a new/moved location in Chanhassen.

PL Jays at Shakopee Indians 8/10:

With the big win at home the #4 seeded PL Jays would travel to Shakopee Schleper Stadium Friday August 10 to square with the #2 seeded Shakopee Indians. Shakopee had gone to Game 3 taking the game to extra innings before the Victoria Vics would prevail and advance from the “Pair Wise Series” to “Seeding Saturday-Section 3B Championship”. The Jays dropped a close 3-1 decision on an Aaron Olson 2 run home run in the 8th off of Jays rookie AJ Lattery as the margin in their June 10 meeting. The Indians came to PL plating 5 in the 1st and 7 in the 2nd for a 16-1 thumping of the hometown Jays in a shortened 7 inning game. The showdown at Shakopee would be a single game “Elimination Series” game with the winner securing the #4 seed/slot representing MBA Section 3B and the loser done for 2018.

PL Jays Sam Schlachter had a 5 inning start at Shakopee Indians. 2018 Section 3B Playoffs-Elimination Game. 8/10/2018 PHOTO BY: Justin Braun

Good Ween up the middle at SS & 2B for visiting PL Jays with #10 Corey Goodwin and #12 Mitchell Goodwin chipping in at the 2018 PL Jays season ending loss at Shakopee Schleper. 8/10/18 PHOTO BY: Justin Braun

With the hum of 169 beyond the clock, playoff fans from the home Shakopee Indians and Prior Lake Jays made some noise at the plate in what became a high scoring affair. The PL Jays sent Sam Schlachter to the mound. Schlachter, a 2nd year Jay, had built a solid resume of outings in the middle innings in many appearances and had a standout outing in relief in the Jays 2017 playoff loss throwing a long stint in relief with the Jays in a deep hole vs Burnsville. The Jays started the game in the 1st with centerfielder Cody Kashmark ripping a 1 out single to right off veteran lefty Chris Rupert then advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch before stealing 3rd. DH Joe Loftus flew out to left before a RBI single to left by Thursday hero Tommy Keating. Catcher Ben Kelsey hit a single to left before 3rd baseman Ryan McDonald was drilled by Rupert on a 1-1 count. With bases loaded rookie infielder Mitch Goodwin took a 1st pitch hack that resulted in bases loaded and stranded on a 3rd out to the 2nd baseman. Schlachter kept the Indians off the board for the 1st 3 innings scattering 3 hits including a 1-3-6 pickoff of leftfielder John Hellkamp who had flared a ball over shortstop to reach before Schlachter fired to Keating who relayed to shortstop Corey Goodwin for the pickoff and 2nd out in the 3rd inning. The Jays plated their 2nd run in the 4th on a 2 out rope up the middle by Corey Goodwin before tenured Jays veteran rightfielder Adam Cress laced a RBI double over centerfielder Steve Boldts head plating Goodwin for a 2-0 Jays score after 3 1/2 innings.

The Indians, veteran laden and a 2017 MBA B Tournament participant as well #2 seed in 2018 regular season, answered the deficit with 2 2 out singles in the 4th before a 2 RBI double by shortstop Zach Henderson that was followed by an errant throw by Corey Goodwin and a Hellkamp RBI flare to left with 2 outs that cleared the bases and made the score 4-2 Shakopee after 4 innings.

In the Jays 5th, Kashmark ripped a leadoff double to rightcenter before stealing 3rd base. Following a Loftus long count that resulted in a strikeout for the 1st out. Following Tom Keating hit by pitch, Ben Kelsey attempted a squeeze bunt play that Kashmark had not gotten a good jump on resulting in Rupert feeding catcher Schleper and sending Kashmark back to 3rd where he was put out for the 2nd out of the inning. With 2 on and 2 out, Ryan McDonald drew an 8 pitch walk to load the bases for 2nd baseman Mitch Goodwin. With pitcher Rupert not as sharp as he has been in many years competing against the Jays and coming off the long series with Victoria, Goodwin ran to a quick 2 ball no strike count before sending the 3rd pitch deep to left center and out for a grand slam making the score 6-4 Jays and ending Rupert day following the inning.

The Indians answered with a leadoff double by Boldt in the 5th, a single by Aaron Olson and RBI double by catcher Dom Schleper. DH Jimmy Bombach ripped a ball to right center plating 2 erasing the Jays lead making the score 7-6 Shakopee before consecutive out ended the inning.

The Jays were met in the 6th by new pitcher Drew Hanbury and with 2 outs, a walk to Kashmark, Loftus single up the middle followed by a Keating laser to right that knotted the score at 7 before a fielders choice hit by Kelsey ended the Jays 6th. Jays rookie Cameron Bunkers came on the relief of Schlachter. Bunkers had amassed a 1-2 record in 2018 pitching 18 innings coming into his stint but recording 1 out on a sac bunt in 5 batters faced and allowed 1 run on a hit batsman to end his day. Matt Cady came in allowing a run on 2 walks recording 1 out. Brandt Broderick was next up for the Jays and was also unable to find control balking in 2 runs and allowing a double eventually getting the Jays off after a 5 run 6th inning for Shakopee.

After a 4 batter Jays 7th that saw Corey Goodwin stranding on a walk, Shakopee got a leadoff double, 1 out walk and balk to plate another run making the score 13-7 Shakopee. In the 8th Jeff Butler had an $80 6-3 out breaking his bat followed by a single to left by Kashmark. Joe Loftus then stepped to the box and blasted a homerun deep to left with the ball possible coming to rest in Savage narrowing the score to 13-9. Keating walked then McDonald roped a deep double and Keating had not yet scored with McDonald sliding head first and appearing to not be tagged, was called out at 3rd ending the inning and Jays threat to jump farther back into the game.

Shakopee plated 2 in the 8th on a leadoff walk that ended Brodericks day for Jimmy Cosgrove. Cosgrove walked the 2nd batter before a sac bunt got out #1 and hit batsman reached. With Boldt hitting a fielders choice at 2nd Aaron Olson ended Cosgroves sting with an RBI hit. Ryan McDonald got the call for his 1st outing of 2018 with the Jays desparate to keep the game in reach. He struck out 1 but allowed a Cosgrove runner to score on the lone hit he yielded in 2 batters he faced. Mitch Goodwin ripped a ball in the 9th on reliever Josh Meyer to lead off the inning but strikeouts to Corey Goodwin, Cress and Butler would end the day and Jays 2018 season. The margin of the game coming on Balks, Walks and Errors (and HBP), the Jays may start calling Shakopee “Balkwalkee” for the month but a strong effort put forth across the lineup with some great plays in the field and clutch at bats helping the Jays compete to the end. Congratulations to Shakopee on their playoff week and best on upcoming HOSTING of MBA 2018. The Jays advanced in Regular Season 2018 Standings from 7th to 5th in regular season as well from climbed from 6th to 5th in playoffs between 2017 and this 2018 season springs hope for a continue path forward for the Prior Lake Jays to soar in 2019 and beyond.