MANKATO — Mankato Post 11 National Legion baseball coach Jamie Mulvihill knows what a championship would mean in a tournament named after his father Jim, so Saturday’s 10-2 win over Chaska Post 57 at Wolverton Field was satisfying.
“It was a little windy today so that helped with the heat,” Mulvihill said. “We had some good at-bats against a quality pitcher and adjusting to him. Mason Schreiber pitched a heck of a game by just pounding the zone. Emmitt Rentas also came through for us at the plate and also with his defense. Obviously, having this named after my dad is a cool thing and being back in the championship is a good feeling.”
National (3-2) scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning and the left-handed Schreiber breezed through 6 1/3 innings, allowing no earned runs on three hits while fanning six, walking three and hitting two. Center fielder Taevin Pribyl laced a lead-off single and scored when left fielder Charlie Hudrlik’s single up the middle was misplayed for a two-base throwing error. Rentas followed with an RBI double into the left-center field gap.
“We came out hitting in the early innings. Mason shut them down on the bump,” Rentas, who went 3 for 5 with two RBIs, said. “Mason was really good with his changeup and fastball while finding the zone. I felt like I saw the ball like it was a beach ball today. I came up with a new approach where I tried to find something early in the count and do damage with it.
“We’ve got good dynamics on this team and with me being the youngest guy, they pick me up when I’ve been bad. I just try to find where the ball is and if it’s low, I try to block it or if it’s there, I try to get a strike out of it. I am also aware of the runners and if one of them is slacking off, I try to get them out of there. … It’s great being a catcher when you have so many dominant pitchers.”
Chaska trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth when a single from Ryan Kamann, a walk and an error loaded the bases with one out. Schreiber hit Brayden Husfeldt to force in a run before a pair of strikeouts ended the threat and began a string of five straight hitters retired.
Post 11 then took advantage of four hit batters and a walk to expand its lead to 5-1 in the fifth. Rentas bounced an RBI single down the left-field line in the surge before four hits — Schreiber, Rentas, second baseman Colten Bahl and Avery Matejcek — and a trio of hit batters produced five runs an inning later. Matejcek’s two-run single was the key hit in the burst.
“It was nice to get out there on a beautiful day,” Schreiber said. “I like getting loose at the start even though you may fatigue faster in the heat. I was excited to get back out there and come though for the team. It was nice to get two runs right away so you can find the groove. Our hitting has been good and everyone is always in the game. Our team dynamics are very good and the team vibes are good.”
National faces Shakopee in Sunday’s 2 p.m. title clash at Wolverton Field.
Shakopee 6, Mankato American 2: American dropped its second game at the the Mulvihill Invitational on Saturday at ISG Field.
American fell to Owatonna 12-4 in its first game of the tournament Friday and will now take on Sleepy Eye in the fifth-place game at 9 a.m. Sunday.