Post 5 Senior Legion team plays in Rochester tourney; gets Thurs. win

The Worthington Senior American Legion baseball team had a tough weekend on the scoreboard during a tournament in Rochester, but coach Austin Nunez said the squad had a great learning experience against strong competition while managing to have fun.

Post 5 played its first game of the tourney on Friday and lost to Kasson in five innings, 18-2. Worthington scored two runs in the first on an Austin Gruis RBI single and a passed ball, but its opponents hit the ball very well, Nunez said. Ethan Anderson and Dominic Pavelko split the pitching duties.

On Saturday, Post 5 was no-hit in its first game by Farmington, 12-0, in five innings. Wyatt Petersen pitched the whole game; only two of the 12 runs he allowed were earned due to five errors.

In a second game Saturday, Worthington was shut out by Forest Lake 5-0. Logan Kerkaert threw all seven innings and allowed two earned runs. Brayden Raymo and Pavelko had Worthington's hits.

A Sunday game against North St. Paul was cancelled because of rain.

On Thursday night, Post 5 edged host Luverne 2-1 in eight innings. Gavin Bell had the game-winning RBI single, and Gruis drove in the other run in the sixth with a double. Anderson pitched the first three innings, allowing one run and striking out five, and then tossed the bottom of the eighth to earn the save. Kerkaert threw three scoreless innings, and Dalton Larson got the win after pitching a scoreless seventh.

Worthington's next Senior Legion game will be at home July 6 against Jackson. It's the last scheduled home game of the year for Post 5.