ESSIG - Going into the third day of the Junior Upper Midwest Classic, things are beginning to look pretty good for the Sleepy Eye VFW baseball team.
Sleepy Eye again took advantage of some sloppy play as Rochester committed seven errors. That led to a 9-3 thrashing of Rochester in Essig.
The win improves Sleepy Eye's tournament record to 2-0 and 7-4 overall. Sleepy Eye meets Maple Grove at 10 a.m. today at Mueller Park and then wraps up pool play with a 4 p.m. game against Hutchinson, also at Mueller.
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Staff photo by Steve Muscatello
Lucas Heidersheidt makes a diving catch during Sleepy Eye’s Junior Upper Midwest Classic game against Rochester Friday in Essig.
While Rochester certainly helped Sleepy Eye out with plenty of errors, wild pitches and passed balls, Carter Krzmarzick also did his share with a two-run home run in the seventh inning and a two-run double in the third. He finished with three runs scored and four RBIs on the day.
Krzmarzick was the one that got the Sleepy Eye offense going when he doubled in the second inning to put Post 800 up 2-1. ?He later scored to make it 3-1 and said his team knew it needed to get the offense going.
"We still knew we needed to get more hits," he said of the slow start for Sleepy Eye.
For the second straight day, Sleepy Eye got a complete-game effort from a starting pitcher. This time, John Mangen went the distance as he allowed four hits. He struck out nine, including four in the first inning, in which Rochester scored the first run of the game.
Brandon Ritz took the loss for Rochester. He lasted 6 2/3 innings, giving up all nine runs.
After Sleepy Eye grabbed a 3-1 lead in the second, it added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Krzmarzick delivered a two-run home run that sealed the deal for Post 800.
"I didn't think it was going, but I guess [it did]," Krzmarzick said.
Sleepy Eye plays twice today and it should be in pretty good shape pitching-wise.
"It's always good, we don't have a lot of pitching, but it helps when they can pitch a whole game," Krzmarzick said.