Chanhassen locks up No. 1 seed in Region 3B
Posted on Aug 05, 2020

By Eric Kraushar

swnewsmedia.com

 

John Straka has put up a bunch of zeroes this summer as the ace of the Chanhassen Red Birds. Meanwhile his team’s offense has put up crooked numbers each time out in his starts.

On July 30, the No. 1 seed in Region 3B on the line in Victoria, it was Straka that picked up his teammates, throwing a 115-pitch complete-game shutout in a 4-3 win.

Straka induced an infield pop up for the final out in the ninth inning, stranding the bases loaded. Victoria pulled within a run in the frame on a Hunter Even RBI-single.

Chanhassen will host throughout the playoffs, which began Aug. 2 with all eight teams in action. Updated schedules for local teams are available on their team websites.
 
Clinging to a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning, Nick Smith’s second RBI of the game, a double, scored Derek Smith from second base after he started the rally with a single.

Defensive miscues led to the first five runs between the two teams. Matt Dolan and Trey Cavello had run-scoring hits for the Vics, while Jurgella added an RBI for the Red Birds. Derek Smith was 2-for-2 at the plate.

Straka scattered eight hits, finishing with five strikeouts with one earned run.

Victoria starter Ryan Och fanned nine batters with four walks and one unearned run over four innings before Jordan Bonk and Riley Sweeney combined for the next five frames, keeping the Vics within striking distance.

Victoria ended up 8-2 in the River Valley League, earning the No. 2 seed.

BLOWOUT WINS

 

Facing a line-up as talented and deep as Chanhassen, giving extra outs is not ideal.

A 1-0 lead over visiting Chaska, the run scoring on an errant throw, the Red Birds took advantage of two more Cubs miscues on infield ground balls, scoring eight runs in the fifth inning in a 9-0 home win July 29.

The pivotal frame saw Chanhassen send 13 batters to the plate, key hits from Brandon Arnold (2-run double to the wall), Aaron Kloeppner (2-run double to the left-field corner) and Andrew Mahlke (2-run line drive single to right field).

Zach Hoffman and Aaron Pfaff added run-scoring singles in the big inning.

Tommy Thompson, after walking the bases loaded in the first inning, allowed just a one-out double in the fifth inning to Chaska’s Riley Swenson over seven scoreless innings for the Red Birds.

Thompson, who needed to stay loose twice in the bullpen in the eight-run fifth inning, struck out five batters before giving way to Brandt Thompson, who also had four strikeouts in two innings.

Chanhassen also beat Excelsior 8-1 on July 28 on three-RBI games from Ryan Diers and Ben Livorsi.

Blake Tritch, Diers and Nick Smith combined for 15 strikeouts in the four-hitter.