The Jordan baseball team will need to string some wins together to be a factor in the Section 2AAA playoffs.
The Hubmen snapped a four-game slide May 16 with an 11-6 win at Mound Westonka in Wright County East Conference play, but followed that with a 12-6 league loss versus Holy Family May 18 and an 11-7 setback in eight innings the next day versus Mankato East.
Jordan (5-12 overall, 3-7 in the conference) is looking like the No. 7 seed in the playoffs ahead of Worthington (2-10). Top-ranked New Prague (15-3) will be the No. 1 seed.
Marshall (10-2) looks to be the No. 2 seed, while No. 10 Mankato West (8-9), Albert Lea (8-7), Mankato East (9-8) and St. Peter (8-7) are also in the field.
The first round of the Section 2AAA playoffs starts May 31, while the finals are June 8. For complete brackets, go to mshsl.org/section-events.
Jordan won three straight games from May 2-8, but takes at least four wins to win a section title.
Against Mound Westonka, senior Luke Dryhaug finished 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs, while senior Zac Daak was 2 for 3 with an RBI and three runs scored.
Jordan led 8-2 after three innings and never looked back. Sophomore Shawn Klehr finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs, while senior Afton Koch and ninth-grader Hunter Sherette each had RBIs.
Junior Nick Krautkremer had a hit and scored two runs, while junior Conner Larson went 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Larson also picked up the win on the mound, striking out eight in six innings or work, allowing five runs (four earned). Koch pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
In the loss to Holy Family, the Hubmen led 5-4 going into the top of the sixth inning, before the Fire erupted for six runs. Eighth-grader Michael Thrune started and went five innings, giving up five runs (two earned) with one strikeout.
Senior Gavin Lloyd took the loss, allowing seven runs (four earned) in two innings with two strikeouts.
Junior Luke Sand finished 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI, while junior Eli Briese also doubled. Koch drove in two runs, while Krautkremer and Larson each had one RBI.
Dryhaug finished 2 for 4with two runs scored, while Klehr had a hit and scored a pair of runs.
Against Mankato East, Jordan was down 5-2 after three innings and trailed 8-6 after five complete, before tying the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
An error, hit by pitch, wild pitch a walk helped aid the Cougars’ three runs in the top of the inning to get the win. Daak took the loss, allowing three earned runs in 2 2/3 innings with one strikeout.
Ninth-grader Griffin Dahmen started and worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs (three earned) while fanning two.
Koch drove in three runs to lead Jordan’s offense. Daak finished 2 for 3 with two runs scored, while Klehr was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Sherette was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
The first two rounds of the Class 3A state tournament is set for June 13-14 at the Mini Met in Jordan. The state title game is June 16 at CHS Field in St. Paul.
Last season was Jordan’s third in Class 3A and its first in Section 2AAA, finishing with a 1-2 playoff mark. The Hubmen were in Section 1AAA in 2021, going 3-2 in the postseason.
There was no 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jordan has made the state tournament four times in program history with the last time coming in 2018. Its other three appearances came in 1978, 1985 and 2007.
