Journal Sports Writer

SLEEPY EYE — Sleepy Eye VFW Post 800’s Nick Labat did not allow a hit and delivered 13 strikeouts as his team beat Blue Earth 16-1 in a five-inning VFW baseball game Wednesday night.

Blue Earth scored its only run in the top half of the fifth inning from three consecutive walks and a flyout in foul territory to bring the runner in, breaking the shutout. Labat had only given up two walks before the final inning of the game to earn to win.

Post 800 put a crooked number on the scoreboard during the home half of every inning. Sleepy Eye got things moving in the bottom of the first with two runners across while not putting a hit in the scorebook.

Labat reached as the leadoff hitter by taking a hit-by-pitch and swiped second base, followed by a walk to Jacob Meyer. Kadon Strong reached on an error to bring in Labat from third and move Sellner to the final base. Spencer Hoffman drove a line drive into right field that was deep enough for a sac-fly RBI to bring in the second runner of the inning.

Post 800 bated around the lineup for the first time in the second inning, scoring five runs on just one hit and leaving the bases loaded in the inning. Ethan Fischer and Jacob Lux both reached on walks and were moved around the bases from wild pitches. Labat reached on a fielding error after Fischer scored on a wild pitch.

Blue Earth failed on a pickoff attempt with a throw that reached the fence, scoring Lux and moving Labat from first to third on the play. Meyer then reached on an error to score the runner from third, followed by Sellner with the only hit in the inning on a single into right to move a runner into scoring position still in the second inning.

Post 800 added six more runs in the home half of the third inning off of just two hits. Kyle Goblirsch extended the inning when he reached after striking out on a defensive miscue with two outs already in the inning. Carson Domeier walked to fill the bases as the inning continued with Post 800 at the plate.

Fischer’s second at bat of the third inning was a solid hit into left field to bring in the two runners with the bases loaded for the fifth and sixth runs as Post 800 went up 13-0 at that point.

Fischer led Sleepy Eye, going 2 for 2, reaching on two walks and adding three RBIs. Sellner went 2 for 3 with and RBI and scored twice.

Sleepy Eye will host New Ulm Silver at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

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