Lakers conclude 19-4 season one game short of their first semifinal appearance since 2000

MITCHELL — The Tabor Bluebirds rallied in the late innings Thursday night to spoil the Lake Norden Lakers' bid to reach the semifinals of the state Class B amateur baseball tournament for the first time in 23 years.

Lake Norden (19-4) led 4-0 after 6 1/2 innings before Tabor plated eight runs in the bottom of the seventh and held on for an 8-6 win.

The Lakers, competing in their state tournament for the 19th time since 2000, were playing in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2005.

The game matched pitchers Nicholai Arbach of Lake Norden and Chase Kortan of Tabor and it was 0-0 before the Lakers grabbed the lead by scoring three runs in the top of the fifth. Mitchell Noem plated the first run on a fielder's choice groundout and Josh Cleveland followed with a two-run double. Noem added a run-scoring double in the top of the seventh.

Arbach carried a shutout into the bottom of the seventh before Tabor erupted. Jalen Wieseler, a pickup player from Wynot (Neb.) smacked a two-run double and Kortan a two-run single in the outburst. Beau Rothschdal, Nolan Carda and Joey Slama added run-scoring singles and Hunter Hallock a sacrifice fly.

Still, Lake Norden had its chances but left seven runners stranded in the final three innings. In the top of the eighth, the Lakers scored on a wild pitch and a groundout by Tony Campbell to cut the lead to 8-6 and had runners on second and third with two outs.

Cleveland led off the ninth with a single and moved to third on a double by Mick Tulson with nobody out. After two groundouts, Kevin Krumm was walked to lead the bases. The game ended on Campbell's lineout to second.

Kortan pitched the first 6 1/3 innings for Tabor and returned to the mound in the ninth with two on and nobody out. He got the final three outs and kept Lake Norden off the boad.

Riley Rothschadl had three hits, including a double, for Tabor.

Krumm tallied three hits and Cleveland and Jackson Noem each two for the Lakers. Jackson Noem hit two doubles and Cleveland and Krumm each added one. Jordon Johnson, who got the wins in Lake Norden's first two games of the tourney, took the loss in relief of Arbach.

Tabor will play at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the semifinals against the Lesterville Broncs, who rallied to win Thursday's late game 4-3 over the Winner-Colome Pheasants.

Lesterville trailed 3-0 until the bottom of the seventh when the Broncs took advantage of two errors to tie the game with three runs. Michael Drotzmann had a run-scoring double and Cameron Schiltz a run-scoring single in the inning.

Drotzmann came up big again in the ninth. After Tyler Edler reached on a leadoff single, Drotzmann followed with a walk-off double to give Brandon Nickolite the complete-game win.

Derek Graesser struck out 11 batters and allowed only one earned run in eight innings for Winner-Colome. He also hit a double and a triple. Drew DeMers added a triple.

Play in both the Class B and A tournaments are scheduled to run through Sunday at Drake Field and Cadwell Park.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on Twitter @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com.

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Lake Norden Lakers fall in quarterfinals of State B amateur baseball tourney