The Shakopee baseball team certainly has the pitching to make a deep run in the Section 2AAAA playoffs this spring.
The Sabers had a stretch where they won four of six games and in five of those contests gave up three runs or less. That’s usually a good sign for the postseason.
The one tough game in that stretch was a 11-1 South Suburban Conference home loss May 8 to Farmington, the state runner-up last spring. The Tigers scored all 12 of their runs in the fourth inning, six of them unearned.
Sophomore Nick Johnson was saddled with the loss for Shakopee, working three innings and giving up six unearned runs with three strikeouts. Senior Jordan La Tour allowed six runs in one inning of work, while senior Ryan Hackett pitched a scoreless fifth inning.
The Sabers managed just three hits, all singles, with senior Ryan Vosper going 1 for 2 with a run scored. Seniors Alex Duncan and junior Connor McGee also had hits.
Shakopee (6-5 overall, 4-5 in the SSC) went into the game off a 14-1 win May 6 at New Prague, ranked No. 1 in Class 3A. The Sabers fell 3-2 at Lakeville North May 4, won 8-1 at Apple Valley May 3 and earned a 10-0 win versus Burnsville May 1 in three league games.
In beating New Prague, junior Jack Morris got the win, working five innings and allowing three runs (two earned) with two strikeouts. Senior Dylan Stuwe pitched a perfect sixth inning.
Vosper doubled and drove in two runs, while senior Tanner Ho was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI and Duncan was 2 for 3 with a double, RBI and two runs scored.
McGee finished 2 for 4 with three runs scored, while senior Jaden Case was 2 for 2 with an RBI. Senior Ben Turcotte also drove in two runs, while seniors Caden Lang, Nicholas Briggs and Braxton Pankake and junior Charlie Toenges each had one RBI.
Senior Will Straight had a hit a scored two runs.
Against Lakeville North, it was a 2-2 game going into extra innings when the Panthers scored an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth with two outs to get the win.
La Tour took the loss, working one inning and giving up the unearned run. Case started and fanned seven batters in 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned).
Both of Shakopee’s runs came in the first inning. Morris drove in both with a single.
In the win over Apple Valley, the Sabers used a six-run first inning to take control of the game early. Johnson got the win, allowing one unearned run in five innings while striking out three. La Tour pitched two scoreless frames with three strikeouts.
Ho led the offense, going 3 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Morris also doubled and drove in two runs, while Straight finished 2 for 3 with a double, RBI and two runs scored.
Case went 3 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored, while McGee and Turcotte both had RBIs.
Against Burnsville, Morris tossed a four-hit shutout with seven strikeouts. Shakopee jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first inning.
McGee led the team at the plate, going 3 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Lang was 2 for 2 with three RBIs, while Strait doubled and drove in a run.
Vosper had an RBI and two runs scored, while Case was 1 for 1 with three runs scored and Ho chipped in an RBI.
Shakopee will end the regular season May 24 at home versus Lakeville North. Section 2AAAA play starts May 29 with the title game set for June 7.
The Sabers lost 2-0 to Chanhassen in the section title game last spring.
The first two rounds of the Class 4A state tournament are June 13-14 at CHS Field in St. Paul. The title game is June 16 at Target Field in Minneapolis.