Baseball: Bombers drop first game at state

ST. CLOUD - Kasey Ralston threw a three-hit shutout for second-ranked Holy Family Catholic as the Fire downed Cannon Falls 8-0 Thursday during the first round of the Class 2A boys state baseball tournament at Dick Putz Field.

Ralston, a University of Indiana recruit, was challenged early by the Bombers but remained in control and struck out six in the victory.

“We knew he’d be good but we thought we could hit him,” Cannon Falls head coach Bucky Lindow said. “He got the outs when needed. You give him credit. He kept his composure.”

Junior Ian Althoff, senior Cedric Dicke and senior Trevor Sullivan each had a hit for the Bombers. Senior Michael Growette threw 5 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits and seven runs, four earned. He struck out five and walked two in the loss.

Keller Knoll led Holy Family on offense, going 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.

The Fire kicked the ball around in the first couple innings and finished with four errors but they made the plays when it mattered most.

“They were as advertised,” Lindow said. “We weren’t as sharp offensively or defensively as we normally are.”

Cannon Falls made two errors and left six runners in scoring position. The Bombers had two innings with runners in scoring position and less than two outs but back-to-back strikeouts one inning and a pick-off play in another cost them.

“It seemed like right when we got momentum, they took it away,” Dicke said.

Holy Family scored its first run in the second inning on a weak ground ball between third base and shortstop and added another in the fourth inning on a leadoff home run by Knoll. Then, the floodgates opened as Knoll knocked in a run on a double to start the scoring in the sixth inning and the Fire added four more runs to go up 7-0. They added another on a wild pitch in the seventh inning.

The Bombers are scheduled to play Friday at 10 a.m., weather permitting.

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