Southland baseball sneaks by R-P, eliminates L-P to enter Section 1A Championship

(ABC 6 News) — Saturday, Southland Rebels baseball took the field in Austin, still hopeful for a Section 1A title shot.

The number three Rebels took on fifth-seed Rushford-Peterson with the winner facing number two Lyle-Pacelli in the final elimination game later. The Trojans were up in the 5th inning when Southland’s Tyson Stevens hit to left. As the throw went towards second for a seemingly routine out, the ball was ultimately off, allowing Eli Wolff to scamper to third.

Trouble then reared its head for Rushford-Peterson as Justin Rueberg threw a wild pitch, allowing Wolff to score and tie the game at 1-1. Malachi Bunke attempted to reignite the Trojans on offense, he managed to get to first off a chopper, but not without a tumble on the way. He’d steal both second and third before getting caught in a pickle as the Rebels would hold the score to the end.

Southland’s 2-1 victory sent them to Lyle-Pacelli in the final eliminator, the Rebels stamping out the Athletics 10-4 to qualify for the Section 1A Title Game. The Rebels will play the defending champion Hayfield Vikings on June 7 at Riverland Community College at 5 PM.

You can find extended highlights for this game here.