By John RittenhouseThe Luverne Redbirds returned to action after a two-week playoff by playing three games since Wednesday, June 8.Luverne bested Wilmont by three runs in Luverne June 8. The Redbirds lost one-run road tilts against Hadley and Pipestone on Sunday.The 2-5 Redbirds host Fairmont Sunday (7:30 p.m.) before playing a 7:30 p.m. game in Truman Wednesday.Pipestone 6, Luverne 5The Redbirds let a two-run lead slip away in the final inning of Sunday’s game in Pipestone.Luverne snapped a tie at three when James Fisher delivered a two-run single in the top of the ninth, but the A’s scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to pull out a one-run victory.The Redbirds scored two runs in the fourth inning and one run in the fifth to gain a 3-0 advantage that was erased when Pipestone plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth.Adam Kurtz slapped an RBI single to highlight Luverne’s two-run rally in the fourth. Tim Boen walked and scored on Tony Sandbulte’s sacrifice fly in the fourth.Jesse Kuhlman pitched five innings for three-run ball as Luverne’s starting pitcher. Jake Studer took the loss after surrendering three earned runs in the ninth.Box score AB R H BIStuder 3 0 2 0Sandbulte 3 1 0 1M.Boen 3 2 1 1Reisch 2 0 0 0Jr.Pick 2 0 0 0Kurtz 4 1 1 1Fisher 4 0 2 2Miller 2 0 0 0Wysong 2 0 0 0T.Boen 3 1 1 1Fodness 3 0 0 0Hadley 1, Luverne 0A late run for the home-standing Buttermakers proved to be the difference during Sunday’s game in Hadley.The teams battled to a scoreless draw through six and one-half innings before Hadley produced the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh.Kurtz went the distance on the mound for the Redbirds. He fanned four batters and yielded seven hits.Mike Miller doubled in the second inning to account for Luverne’s lone hit.Box score AB R H BIFisher 3 0 0 0Jo.Pick 3 0 0 0Miller 1 0 0 0Gacke 1 0 0 0Reisch 3 0 0 0Kurtz 3 0 1 0Fodness 3 0 0 0Shelton 3 0 0 0Kuhlman 1 0 0 0T.Boen 1 0 0 0Luverne 6, Wilmont 3A four-RBI effort from Kurtz lifted the Redbirds to a three-run home win over Wilmont June 8.Luverne scored two runs in the first, third and fourth innings to open a 6-0 cushion, and Kurtz registered at least one RBI in each inning.Mike Boen slapped an RBI single before scoring on a ground out by Kurtz in the first inning. Kurtz and Adam Reisch punched run-scoring singles in the third inning, and Kurtz capped the scoring for the hosts with a two-run single in the fourth.Kuhlman started the game on the mound and picked up the win by tossing six innings of one-run ball. Kurtz and Miller pitched in relief of Kuhlman, with Miller earning a save.Box score AB R H BIStuder 3 2 0 0Jo.Pick 4 0 0 0M.Boen 5 2 2 1Miller 2 1 0 0Shelton 1 0 1 0Kurtz 5 1 2 4Sandbulte 4 0 0 0Reisch 4 0 2 1Fisher 3 0 1 0Fodness 2 0 0 0
