The Shakopee baseball team seems to be hitting its stride.
The Sabers recently won three of four South Suburban Conference games, including a 7-0 home win Prior Lake May 15. Sophomore Nick Johnson and junior Landon Heller combined on a two-hit shutout.
Shakopee went into the game off a doubleheader split at home versus No. 3-ranked Rosemount May 11, dropping the first game 7-3 and winning the nightcap 3-0.
The Sabers (9-6 overall, 7-6 in the SSC) also earned a 6-4 win in eight innings at Eagan May 10. Senior Tanner Ho powered the offense, going 2 for 3 with home run and three RBIs.
Shakopee is looking like a top-four seed in the Section 2AAAA playoffs, which will start May 26. Fourth-ranked Minnetonka (9-5) and Chanhassen (11-4) seem to be vying for the No. 1 spot, while Chaska (8-6), Eden Prairie (7-7), Prior Lake (6-8), Waconia (4-11) and Bloomington Jefferson (5-9) are also in the field.
The Sabers earned the conference sweep over Prior Lake, winning 5-1 in the first meeting back on April 24.
In the second meeting, Johnson worked five innings, allowing just one hit with one strikeout. Heller worked two frames, fanning one.
The Sabers broke the game open with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Alex Duncan doubled and drove in three runs, while senior Jaden Case finished 1 for 2 with a double and a run scored.
Ho finished 2 for 3 with three runs scored and an RBI, while senior Ryan Vosper was also 2 for 3 with an RBI. Senior Will Strait also had a hit and a run scored.
In the win over Rosemount, junior Jack Morris and senior Dylan Stuwe combined on a two-hitter. Both had two strikeouts with Morris working four innings and Stuwe getting the save pitching three frames.
Shakopee scored on run in each of the first three innings. Duncan finished 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI, while Case and senior Ben Turcotte both doubled and drove in a run.
In the loss to Rosemount, the Sabers let a 3-0 lead get away. The Irish scored three times in the fifth inning and added four more runs in the sixth.
Case started and got a no-decision, working five innings and allowing three runs (one earned) with six strikeouts. Duncan took the loss, giving up four runs (two earned) in one inning.
Strait finished 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored, while Duncan also doubled and drove in a run. Vosper also had an RBI.
Against Eagan, Morris got the win in relief, working two scoreless frames with two strikeouts. Heller started and went six innings, allowing four runs (two earned) while fanning six.
Strait and Vosper both had doubles in the win, while Case finished 2 for 4. Turcotte also had an RBI.
Both of the Sabers runs in the top of the eighth came with two outs. Case singled, followed by walks from Morris and senior Nate Briggs to load the bases.
Case scored the first run on catcher’s interference, while Morris scored on a passed ball.
Shakopee is scheduled to end the regular season May 24 at home versus Lakeville North in league play.
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. Stillwater beat Farmington in last year’s title game.