Hayfield out-dueled by South Ridge in Class A Quarterfinals – Austin Daily Herald

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Hayfield’s Josiah Dornink makes contact against South Ridge at the Class A State Baseball Tournament in St. Cloud Wednesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Hayfield’s Layne Nelson slides safely under the tag of South Ridge’s Samuel Pretasky. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Hayfield’s Eric Bermea launches a fly ball. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Hayfield’s Kael Steele delivers against South Ridge during the first round of the Minnesota Class A State Baseball Tournament. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Hayfield’s Hunter Simonson tags out South Ridge’s Gavin Willeck during the Minnesota Class A State Baseball Tournament. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Hayfield’s Rylan Nelsen slides back into first base as South Ridge’s Austin Olson waits. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

ST. CLOUD – The No. 6 seeded Hayfield baseball team used its pitching and defense to hang around as long as possible, but the Vikings eventually ran out of steam in a 2-1 loss in eight innings to No. 3 South Ridge in the Class A Quarterfinals at Joe Faber Field Wednesday.

After stranding a runner on third in the sixth and leaving the bases loaded in the seventh, the Panthers (20-5 overall) closed it out in the bottom of the eighth when Zyere Alexander roped a one-out, walk-off RBI single to right field to end the game.

Hayfield’s Rylan Nelsen beat out an infield single for a two-out RBI in the second inning, but that was the last hit the Vikings (16-10 overall) would muster in the game.

“It’s a state tournament game and we didn’t really adjust. I’m a little disappointed with our bats and I wanted them to barrel up a little more,” Hayfield head coach Kasey Krekling said. “But defensively and pitching-wise, they did everything we asked them to do. It just wasn’t in the cards today. We won a lot of close games this year and today it wasn’t our turn to win a close game.”

Hayfield starting pitcher Kael Steele gave the Vikings everything he had as he scattered four hits, three walks and four hit batters, while striking out eight in seven innings of work. Steele fell behind SR’s Benjamin Pretasky 2-0 with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, but he was able to battle back and get a strikeout.

In the eighth, Steele had to come out due to his pitch count.

“It really sucked. I had one pitch left, but the guy that was up had hit me decently,” Steele said. “I was in a groove and it sucked (to come out).  I was really confident the whole game, but I could’ve done better by not walking so many batters.”

Krekling gave Steele credit for helping Hayfield win so many close games in the postseason and he pointed out things could’ve gone differently had the Panthers not robbed Josiah Dornink of a hit with two runners on to end the second.

“Kael’s done everything we’ve asked of him in the playoffs,” Krekling said. “The play of the game was really in the second inning when their right fielder made a heck of a grab. Otherwise that would’ve been a two-run inning and that was the difference.”

Hayfield will begin consolation play against No. 7 Russell-Tyler-Ruthton in Sauk Rapids at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

Steele, a junior, is going to soak up one last run with this current team.

“This group is awesome, I love them and it’s been awesome to be able to hang out with them,” he said. “The team chemistry is great.”

Hayfield 0 1 0  0 0 0  0 0  –  1  2  0

SR 0 0 1  0 0 0  0 1  –  2  6  0

Hayfield pitching: Kael Steele, 7 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 1 ER, 8 K, 4 HBP; Ben Nelson (L) ⅓ IP, 2 H, 1 ER

Hayfield hitting: Rylan Nelsen, 2-for-4, RBI, SB; Hunter Simonson, 0-for-3, BB; Eric Bermea, 0-for-4; Steele, 0-for-2, 2 BBs; Josiah Dornink, 0-for-4; Axel Meek, 0-for-3; Nelson, 0-for-3; Layne Nelson, 3 BBs, R; Austin Dahle, 0-for-2, BB