Amateur Baseball: Boldt sparks Aces to victory

CANNON FALLS — Steve Boldt did a little bit of everything for the Red Wing Aces Friday night in a 4-2 win against Cannon Falls at John Burch Park.

Boldt started on the mound for the Aces, throwing five innings and allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out four. He also went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.

“We weren’t really surprised,” Jimmy Bohmbach said of Boldt’s performance on the mound. “He was keeping them off-balance. When he threw (his changeup) for strikes they had a tough time hitting his fastball.”

The Bears managed just four hits against Red Wing’s pitching staff and did not have a hit the first time through the order.

“We didn’t string any hits together,” Cannon Falls manager Keith Meyers said. “Top of the order, we just didn’t get on base. When one and two don’t get on you’re going to have trouble scoring runs.”

The Aces struck first in the fourth inning when Dave Jenson was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Bohmbach followed with a triple to the right-center field gap to score Jenson from first. Jenson finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Then, Boldt singled in Bohmbach, advanced to second on a wild pitch, was moved to third on a ground ball by Kyle Blahnik and scored on a double by Alex Quiding to put Red Wing up 3-0.

Rich Burr tallied the Bears first hit in the fourth inning, an RBI double over the center fielder’s head, and finished 2-for-3 to lead Cannon Falls. Aaron Stein had the Bears’ other two hits.

Cannon Falls threatened to score again in the fifth inning after the first two batters reached base but a botched bunt and a double play ended the inning. The Bears put the first hitter on again in the sixth only to have small ball fail them again, stranding runners on first and second after Meyers scored on an error by Red Wing.

“We had a couple opportunities that missed,” Meyers said. “That’s part of the game. We’ll be alright.”

Boldt’s home run came in the eighth inning after Bohmbach grounded into a double play and it gave the Aces insurance going into the final two innings.

“That lifted us up again,” Bohmbach said. “That really helped.”

Josh Thygesen and Dustin LaRue finished off the win for Red Wing, with LaRue getting the save with a perfect ninth inning. Thygesen struck out five in three innings and LaRue had one strikeout.

Cannon Falls plays against the Northfield Knights Sunday in Northfield and the Aces play Eau Claire Tuesday in Red Wing.

Tags: amateur baseball, red wing, cannon falls, sports, proam