Utilizing the effective combination of six timely hits, which produced five runs, and the masterful pitching performance of sophomore ace Eli Fest, the Heron Lake-Okabena / Fulda high school varsity baseball team claimed a well-played 5-0 victory over Edgerton / Southwest Minnesota Christian at Heron Lake last Thursday, May 16.
The impressive win by the Coyotes was the team’s first victory since Fest blanked Mountain Lake / Comfrey (2-0) with a shutout effort at Mountain Lake on April 16. Since that time, HL-O / Fulda had been on the short end of several close games (including a pair of 3-2 scores) during a nine-game losing streak, which started with a 10-7 loss to Edgerton / Southwest Christian at Edgerton on April 18.
This time, the Coyotes scored solo runs in both the third and fourth innings before crossing the plate three times in the bottom of the fifth to open up a 5-0 lead for Fest, who struck out 15 Flying Dutchmen over his six-and-two-thirds innings on the mound. The left-handed throwing Fest reached the 105-pitch limit after striking out his sixth straight batter (for the second out) in the top of the seventh.
Senior Levi Spittle came on in relief with two outs and a runner on first (dropped third strike) and the Coyotes retired Dutchmen leadoff hitter Jacob Van Dam on a fine fielding play. Van Dam smacked the ball hard in the gap between shortstop and third base, but HL-O / Fulda senior shortstop Eli Becker made the play, scooping up the grounder and tossing to freshman first baseman Tyson Cotter who gloved the one-bounce throw with a fine play of his own.
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