Trojans baseball team drops Thursday games in New Ulm

The Worthington Trojans baseball team traveled to New Ulm on Thursday for a split doubleheader, losing the first game to Redwood Valley 11-10 and then falling to New Ulm 10-3.

In the opener, WHS started strongly and led 6-0 after 1½ innings, but the Cardinals rallied in the bottom of the second, tying the game thanks in part to three walks and three hit batsmen. Logan Kerkaert started on the mound and left in the second with a sore shoulder; Talen Turner tossed five innings in relief and Wyatt Petersen finished.

Austin Gruis had a huge game for the Trojans offensively, going 4-for-4 with a three-run homer, double, three runs scored and six RBIs. Dominic Pavelko added a pair of hits and scored three times. Dominic Larson, Turner, Petersen and Fino Noeno all had an RBI each.

Against New Ulm, Worthington kept things close through the first five innings, but New Ulm scored four insurance runs in the sixth. Gruis was 2-4 at the plate, Brayden Raymo was 2-for-2, Peterson was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and Kayden Khamphanh connected for an RBI single in his first varsity at-bat.

Ethan Anderson, Petersen and Gruis shared the pitching duties for the Trojans, who are now 1-4 and next host Waseca at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

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In high school softball, the Trojans played two against visiting Waseca on Saturday and lost 18-0 and 15-8.

In the second game, WHS trailed 9-1 through four innings, but then got five runs in the fifth to draw within three runs of the Bluejays. Waseca, however, answered right away with five runs of its own.

The 0-6 Trojans next host Belle Plaine in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday.

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It was a tough day for the Minnesota West baseball and softball squads as both teams were swept in doubleheaders on Sunday afternoon.

In Worthington, the Lady Jays played host to St. Cloud Tech — ranked seventh in the most recent NJCAA Division 3 national poll — and were defeated 19-7 and 16-0 in a pair of five-inning games.

In the first game, the Lady Jays trailed 19-1 entering the bottom of the fifth but then began a rally that closed the final gap. Hannah McNab had a home run in the first inning for Minnesota West. Six different players each had one single each.

In the second game, the Lady Jays were blanked on three singles as they dipped to 3-11 on the season. The Cyclones are 25-7. Minnesota West is scheduled to play its final two games of the season at home Wednesday against Anoka-Ramsey starting at 3 p.m.

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In baseball, the Bluejays played two at Rochester on Sunday and were beaten 10-0 in six innings and 11-1 in five.

Minnesota West collected three hits — all singles — in the first game and wound up with just two in the second. One was home run by Layke Miller that came in the second inning.

The Bluejays are now 13-20 overall and 3-7 in conference play. They'll host Rochester in a doubleheader Monday that's slated to begin at 1 p.m.