Minnesota high school baseball state tournament: East Ridge defense plays pivotal role in Class 4A semifinal win over Minnetonka

The Raptors made key defensive plays in the fifth and sixth innings to keep the Skippers off the board

Brackets

Class 4A

Class 3A

Class 2A

Class 1A

Minnesota high school baseball state tournament: results, recaps, state leaders from the quarterfinals

---

ST. PAUL — The No. 2-seed East Ridge Raptors defeated the No. 3-seed Minnetonka Skippers 4-3 in the Class 4A semifinals at CHS Field.

After allowing three runs through three innings, East Ridge pitcher Luke Ryerse threw 3.2 scoreless innings as the Raptors held off the Skippers with strong defense.

East Ridge started the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI single from Alexander Mezzetti.

Minnetonka answered with two runs. Nathan Wheeler doubled to right center to start the second inning. August Berger drove him in with an RBI single, and Berger later scored on an RBI single from Jacob McCuskey.

Minnetonka added one more run one inning later with an RBI single from William Koeppen.

Minnetonka's defensive mistakes in the bottom of the third inning fueled three runs for the Raptors.

Mezzetti started the inning with a walk. Colten Widen hit a ball into the outfield, and Skippers' center fielder tried to throw Mezetti out at third, but Mezzetti beat the throw and Widen was able to reach second base.

Luke Skinner hit a ground ball in the infield, and the Skippers threw it to home. Mezetti was caught in a run down, but Minnetonka catcher Maxwell Pederson threw the ball to second base to try and get Widen out as he ran back to second base.

The throw was late, so Widen was safe at second. Mezetti took the opportunity to run back toward home, and Minnetonka second baseman Colton Benedict's throw went past the catcher, so Mezetti scored, and Widen and Skinner advanced to third and second, respectively.

The Skippers replaced pitcher Jack Kochevar with Kieran Haaland, and he got Benjamin Rudser to ground out, but Joseph Merchlewitz hit a single to give the Raptors a 4-3 lead.

The Raptors' defense, and Ryerse, kept the Skippers off the scoreboard for the rest of the game.

In the top of the fifth inning, East Ridge left fielder Caden Stern made a leaping catch at the wall to prevent extra bases for the Minnetonka leadoff hitter.

"Well, what saved the game was the catch and left field for sure," Minnetonka head coach Paul Twenge said. "On a lead off hitter that was a great catch too. I mean, the kids, both teams played exceptionally hard."

In the sixth inning, right fielder Aden Makovicka made a diving catch the keep the leadoff hitter off the bases, which proved critical after Hudson Poole hit a single and eventually got to third base with one out.

But Ryerse focused. He forced a shallow fly out and a strikeout to keep the Raptors up by one run entering the bottom of the sixth inning.

"That's the best part.," Ryerse said. "I got fired up out there. It's the best part when you have to compete in a tough spot."

Ryerse had three more outs to get in the seventh inning. He recorded the first two outs, but he approached his pitch count limit before he could face the final batter.

Ashton Poole closed, and he threw four pitches to get the final out.

"I'm there to attack the hitter," Poole said. "My job is to come in and get outs. I wasn't trying to paint anything. I was just trying to beat him with a fastball and deceive him the curveball."

The Raptors will play for the state title on Friday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m. They will face the winner of No. 1-seed Rosemount vs. No. 4-seed Edina.

"We envisioned ourselves here," Ryerse said. "We invisioned lots of nights getting the opportunity to play here."

Ryerse finished with 6.2 innings pitched, allowing six hits, three earned runs, one walk and three strikeouts.