Luverne American Legion second baseman Aaron Schmidt fires a throw to first base to record an out during Friday’s Second District Tournament game against Wabasso in Truman. Wabasso handed the Cardinals their first of two losses over the weekend, ending Luverne’s season.By John RittenhouseThe Luverne American Legion baseball team was unable to advance to the second weekend of play in the Second District Tournament for the second consecutive year.That fact became a reality over the weekend in Truman, where Luverne went 1-2 while bowing out of the double-elimination event.The Cardinals lost a nine-run decision to Wabasso during Friday’s opening round before avoiding elimination Saturday with a two-run win over Minnesota Lake in the loser’s bracket.Luverne needed another win Sunday against Pipestone to return to Truman this weekend, but the Arrows ousted the Cards with 4-0 setback.Luverne ends the season with an 8-11 record.Pipestone 4, Luverne 0Luverne was blanked for the second round of the tournament when it squared off against Pipestone during an elimination game played in Truman Sunday.Pipestone’s Matt Oye blanked the Cards for six innings before giving way to a relief pitcher who completed the shutout in the seventh inning.The winners scored two runs in the top of the first inning before adding single counters in the fourth and seventh frames against Luverne pitcher Zach Wysong, who went the distance on the hill.Wysong allowed nine hits and five earned runs while recording five strikeouts.Luverne, which was limited to four hits in the game, stranded two runners on base in the first and second innings.Mark Remme slapped singles in the second and fifth innings for Luverne. Aaron Schmidt singled in the first inning, and Tim Boen singled in the second.Box score AB R H BISchmidt 4 0 1 0Kuhlman 3 0 0 0Wysong 3 0 0 0Kurtz 3 0 0 0Jo.Pick 3 0 0 0Boen 3 0 1 0Studer 2 0 0 0Reisch 1 0 0 0Tofteland 2 0 0 0Remme 3 0 2 0Luverne 7, ML 5The Cardinals avoided an early exit from the tournament by nipping Minnesota Lake by two runs in eight innings Saturday.Luverne trailed 5-3 after ML scored two runs in the fourth inning and three in the bottom of the fifth to erase a 3-0 deficit, but the Cards tied the game with two runs in the top of the sixth before winning the elimination game with two runs in the eighth inning.Joey Pick provided some spark for the Cardinals in the sixth inning when he singled, advanced to second on a passed ball, stole third base and scored on a throwing error to make it a 5-4 game.Jesse Kuhlman drew a walk and knotted the score at five when Jake Studer produced a ground out that resulted in an RBI as the sixth inning progressed.Kuhlman and Studer played key roles during Luverne’s two-run rally in the eighth inning that decided the game.Kuhlman singled and scored the go-ahead run on a double by Studer. Boen gave Luverne an insurance run when he singled home Studer.Luverne opened the scoring with a three-run second inning.Boen singled and Rob Fodness reached base on an error to set the table for John Tofteland, who belted a three-run homer over the fence in left field.Kuhlman pitched the first four and two-thirds innings and didn’t gain a decision. Three of the five runs he was charged with were earned.Jared Pick tossed three and one-third innings of scoreless ball to notch the win.Box score AB R H BIJo.Pick 4 1 1 0Kuhlman 3 2 2 0Wysong 5 0 1 0Kurtz 5 0 0 0Studer 4 1 1 2Boen 4 1 3 1Ja.Pick 4 0 0 0Fodness 3 1 0 0Tofteland 4 1 2 3Wabasso 9, Luverne 0The Cardinals opened the tournament by taking a nine-run beating from Wabasso Friday.Wabasso limited Luverne to three hits in the game and scored runs in five of six innings to win handily.Wabasso chased Luverne starting pitcher Devan Goembel mound with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. The winners plated five runs (four were earned) against Goembel, who was saddled with the loss.Reliever Adam Kurtz didn’t fare much better against Wabasso. He surrendered four earned runs in three and one-third innings of relief.Boen singled in the second inning, Kuhlman singled in the third and Adam Reisch singled in the sixth to account for Luverne’s hits in the game.Box score AB R H BISchmidt 3 0 0 0Kuhlman 2 0 1 0Reisch 3 0 1 0Kurtz 3 0 0 0Jo.Pick 3 0 0 0Wysong 3 0 0 0Remme 1 0 0 0Fodness 1 0 0 0Boen 2 0 1 0Ja.Pick 0 0 0 0Studer 2 0 0 0
