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Winona won the duel 2-1 thanks to a John Skappel two-run single in the bottom of the fourth inning and a great performance from starter Lee Trocinski to advance to the winners bracket of the Region 5C playoffs.
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Kasson's first baseman Jon Fish attempts the pick-off of the Winona Chief's Bryan Wanek who slides safely back Wednesday during the first round of the regional playoffs in Winona. (Photo by Katie Derus/Winona Daily News) |
“Lee pitched a great game,” Chiefs coach Ryan Buhler said. “Skappel had a timely hit and that proved to be the difference.”
Trocinski and Josh Burton of the Coyotes were the starting pitchers and they didn’t give an inch.
Trocinski pitched seven innings, allowed one run on three hits, walked two and struck out nine. Burton went seven innings, allowed two runs on eight hits, walked one and struck out two.
“I was very happy with my performance,” Trocinski said. “Having five 1-2-3 innings was nice. Whenever I did get into trouble, I dug down pretty well.”
After opening the game by retiring the first nine batters, Trocinski found trouble in the fourth and fifth innings.
In the fourth, Matt Mracek walked and Jake Schmidt singled to open up the inning. Trocinski struck out the next two batters but Nick Thompson followed with a slow roller to the left side that couldn’t be fielded. Mracek scored from third to give Kasson a 1-0 lead.
Winona answered in the bottom of the inning off Burton. Eric Belter drew a walk with one out and Matt Barrie followed with a single to right-center field. Two batters later, Travis Hengel singled to load the bases. Skappel followed with the two-run single.
“We put a couple of hits together in that inning,” Buhler said. “Travis Hengel had a big hit to put two runners in scoring position and Skappel came up with the big hit.
“Burton pitched a great game. They are a very good team. They are stacked with pitching. They are as good as we are.”
The Coyotes loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fifth, but Trocinski got Schmidt to ground into a fielder’s choice and Eric Gruhlke to pop out to third baseman Matt O’Brien to end the inning.
“All the teams in this region are really good,” Buhler said. “Whoever comes up with the clutch play is going to win the games.”
Barrie went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Belter pitched the last two innings, allowed one hit and struck out three to pick up the save.
