Baseball: Tigers earn split with Eagles

Jake Baskerville 5 hits in the doubleheader (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Farmington split a pair of games with Apple Valley Saturday in Apple Valley, winning the nightcap 5-3 after dropping a 4-3, extra-inning decision in the opener.

Friday night's scheduled game in the annual Apple Valley Wood Bat Tournament  was washed out by rain and necessitated the Saturday doubleheader.

"We played error-free for the weekend which helped keep things close," Tiger coach Mike Winters said, "but we still gave up too many walks (8) in the first game."


Apple Valley plated the winning run in the home half of the eighth inning off reliever Jordan DeCroock to win the opener. DeCroock had relieved Kevin Olund who came on in relief of starter Drew Hegseth in the fourth.


Farmington outhit the winners 8-7 with Jake Baskerville, Spencer Merle Ryan Schoening each collecting a pair of safeties. Merle smacked a two-run homer in the first to give the visitors an early 2-0 lead.  Nathan Graham and John Stibal also hit safely for the Tigers.

Ty Vincent four-hit complete game in nightcap

Ty Vincent pitched the team's fourth complete game of the season in the nightcap, allowing just four hits while striking out six and walking two.

"He pitched a gem of a game," Winters said.

Baskervillle had another productive game at the plate, stroking three of Farmington's nine hits and scoring a run. Merle collected two more hits, including a double, and scored twice and Vincent helped his own cause with a double and a pair of runs batted in..

Schoening, Nick Newman and Jordan Lugowksi accounted for the other Farmington hits.

The split gives the Tigers a 4-9 season record as they return to Missota Conference play Monday with a road game with Northfield at Dundas. Tuesday they're off to Chaska and then it's back to Tiger Field on Thursday for a home contest against take on New Prague.