LAMAR MERCHANTS WIN!

Bottom L to R: Brendan Burns, Derek Schroeder, Kodiak Ratzlaff, Casey Fassiotto, Kelby Fassiotto, Payden Breneman, Jamin Tate, Jordan Jara
Top: L to R: Chaz Hebberd, Tanner Barth, Tylor Jara, Bryan Gonzalez, Brandon Reed, Isiah Martinez, Zach Ramsay, Coach – Bart Cruikshank
Not Pictured: Saul Pizzaro

The Lamar Merchants 16-18 year old baseball team won their first game of the Midwest Plains Regional Tournament. In the 1:00 PM game today they beat Eastview Minnesota 9-8.

Lamar jumped out to an early 3-0 lead but Eastview came back to take a 6-5 lead going into the bottom of the fifth where Lamar scored 4 runs for a 9-6 lead. Eastview then scored 2 in the sixth to make the score 9-8. In the top of the seventh Brandon Reed came to the mound in relief of winning pitcher Saul Pizzarro, to get the final 3 outs. The top of the seventh was highlighted by a play made by left fielder Tyler Jara throwing out a Minnesota runner at third base from the warning track to end their rally.

Hitting stars for the Merchants were Kodiak Ratzlaff who went 3 for 3 with a walk and 4 runs scored and Saul Pizzarro who went 4 for 4 at the plate with 4 RBI’s. Coach Cruikshank mentioned he put on 7 hit and run plays today and they were all successful!

They will advance to play Columbus, Kansas tomorrow at 3:30 PM in the winners bracket of the double elimination tournament being held in Montrose Colorado.