By John Rittenhouse
A season-long, four-game winning streak came to an end for the Luverne Redbirds when the local amateur baseball team dropped a four-run home decision to Brandon, S.D., Tuesday.
The streak reached four games with seven- and one-run wins over Wilmont and Hadley respectively on Sunday at Redbird Field.
Luverne, 5-3 overall, plays Heron Lake and Jackson at 4 and 6 p.m. respectively Sunday in Jackson. The Redbirds host Wilmont for a 7 p.m. game Wednesday.
Brandon 12, Luverne 8
Luverne's baseball roll ended Tuesday when visiting Brandon topped the Redbirds by four runs Tuesday.
The Redbirds played their way to an 8-3 advantage through six innings, but Brandon scored nine unanswered runs in the final three frames to pull out a come-from-behind victory.
"We didn't play very well," said Luverne manager Micky Sehr. "We basically have Brandon two games this year."
The Redbirds got off to a good start when Jeff Sehr, who was three-for-five at the plate, doubled home a run to give the hosts a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Brandon scored three runs off Luverne starting pitcher Jon Jarchow in the top of the second, but the Redbirds scored four times in the third and three runs in the sixth to take an 8-3 lead.
Cole Irish, Jeff and Micky Sehr all slapped RBI singles during the four-run rally in the third. Mike Wenninger added a sacrifice fly.
Brian Weber singled home a run and Corey Nelson added a two-run single during Luverne's sixth-inning uprising.
The final three innings belonged to Brandon.
The visitors pulled to within one run (8-7) of the Redbirds by scoring four runs in the seventh before moving in front 10-8 with a three-run eighth inning. When Brandon added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth, the scoring was complete.
Jordan Petersen relieved Jarchow in the seventh, and left the mound after allowing four runs while registering two outs. Travis Eernisse allowed three runs in the next inning and one-third. He was saddled with the loss. Derek Ohme, who had three hits at the plate, yielded two runs in the ninth.
Luverne 2, Hadley 1
Terry Eernisse's fifth-inning homer proved to be the difference during Sunday's second game against Hadley.
The visiting Buttermakers led 1-0 after scoring in the top of the first, but the Redbirds tied the game in the second inning before Eernisse's lead-off blast in the fifth provided the margin of victory.
Luverne plated an unearned run to tie the game at one in the second inning.
Cole Irish walked and scored when Hadley’s left fielder misplayed a ball hit by Mike Boen.
Jeff Sehr pitched five and two-thirds innings to pick up the win for Luverne, while Mike Wenninger tossed one and one-third innings to gain a save.
Sehr limited Hadley to five hits and one run while recording five strikeouts. Wenninger fanned three of the four batters he faced.
Box score AB R H BI
Schneider 3 0 0 0
Ohme 3 0 0 0
J.Sehr 3 0 0 0
Irish 3 1 1 0
Wenninger 3 0 1 0
M.Sehr 1 0 0 0
Eernisse 2 1 1 1
Boen 2 0 0 0
Weber 2 0 0 0
Luverne 7, Wilmont 0
Micky Sehr and Travis Eernisse tossed a combined two-hit shutout to highlight Sunday's win over Wilmont in the first game of the day at Redbird Field.
Sehr worked the first six innings to pick up the win. He yielded two hits and had two strikeouts. Eernisse pitched a scoreless seventh inning to end the game.
The Redbirds supported their pitchers by scoring one run in the second inning, two in the third and four in the fifth.
Sehr walked and scored the game's first run in the second when Boen singled.
Sehr and Terry Eernisse doubled home runs to make it a 3-0 game in the third.
Three fielding errors by Wilmont and Billy Schneider’s RBI single accounted for Luverne's four runs in the fifth inning.
Box score AB R H BI
Schneider 4 0 2 1
Ohme 4 2 1 0
J.Sehr 3 1 1 0
Wenninger 4 0 0 0
M.Sehr 3 3 2 1
Te.Eernisse 4 1 1 1
Boen 3 0 1 1
Petersen 3 0 1 0
Shelton 2 0 0 0
Tr.Eernisse 2 0 0 0