Worthington wins at SubState Legion, then is eliminated

Worthington's Senior American Legion baseball team picked up a victory Thursday in the SubState 2 Tournament in New Ulm before being eliminated by top-seeded Mankato American.

Seventh-seeded Post 5, after falling 8-2 to Marshall on Wednesday, bounced back Thursday against sixth-seeded Northfield, taking advantage of erratic pitching in scoring five fifth-inning runs en route to a 6-2 triumph.

Northfield got a run in the bottom of the third to grab a 1-0 edge, and Worthington left the bases loaded in the top of the fourth.  They then pounced in the fifth.

Wilson Mahlberg led off the fifth with a double, and then came a long stretch in which Northfield starting pitcher Rourke Bennett couldn't find the strike zone. Following two consecutive four-pitch walks, a first-pitch hit batter and another four-pitch walk, it was 2-1. Max Ostrem then drew another walk on a full-count pitch for a 3-1 Post 5 lead.

Chase Byrne then hit a line drive to short for the inning's first out, but the ball was thrown away in an attempt to catch Ostrem off first base, scoring a fourth Worthington run. Logan Kerkaert's sacrifice fly finished the fifth's scoring.

Mahlberg had an RBI single in the seventh to score Byrne, who had led off with a double. Ostrem, meanwhile, was solid on the mound, throwing all seven innings and allowing just three hits. He walked three and struck out eight. 

Later Thursday, Mankato American defeated Worthington 11-1 in five innings. Post 5 ends the year with an 8-10 record.

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The Luverne Senior American Legion baseball team will look to remain alive at Sub-State tonight when it takes on either St. James or Wabasso in a game scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. in Truman.

Should Luverne pick up a win tonight, they'll move on to play Sleepy Eye at 11 a.m. Saturday. As Sleepy Eye defeated Luverne on Sunday, Luverne will need to beat Sleepy Eye twice on Saturday to capture the tournament.