Staff photo by Ari Selvey Sleepy Eye Post 7 Junior Legion’s Kessler Severson applies a tag to get the runner out during a junior legion baseball game against Mankato American Thursday at Sleepy Eye Ball Park.

SLEEPY EYE — Sleepy Eye Junior Legion struggled against the Mankato American defense in a 10-2 loss Thursday at Sleepy Eye Ball park, managing only five hits on the game.

Tyler Mathiowetz took the loss for Sleepy Eye, getting one strikeout while allowing four earned runs on eight hits in four innings pitched.

Cody Schultz led Sleepy Eye at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a double. Kam Kossak added a double and a run scored in the game, while Kessler Severson had a triple and an RBI

Mankato scored once in the first on a double and a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the inning, Sleepy Eye loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batsman with no outs, but Mankato pitcher Jacob Langworthy struck out seven of the next eight batters in a 10-strikeout start, ending the inning and holding the team without a hit until the third inning.

In the meantime, American added two more runs in the second on a triple and a pair of singles. Mathiowetz held Mankato scoreless in the third, and Sleepy Eye got their first hit of the game in the bottom of the innings, a double by Schultz. After a Marcus Martinez walk, however, Langworthy struck the next batter out to end the innings.

Mankato scored again in the fourth to make it a 4-0 game before Sleepy Eye scored its first run when Gavin Fischer drew a walk and was scored on a triple by Severson to make it a 4-1 game. American scored again in the fifth and put the game away with a five-run sixth inning, pushing their lead to 10-1. Kessler scored in the bottom of the inning by doubling, advancing to third on a wild pitch and then coming home on an error, but Sleepy Eye was unable to rally in the seventh, with the side retiring in order.

No. 1 Sleepy Eye begins play in the East Sub-Sub-State playoffs on Sunday against the winner between No. 4 Slayton and No. 5 St. James in Springfield.