Amateur Baseball: Bears held hitless in loss

ST. CLOUD - Cannon Falls’ Keith Meyers pitched a complete-game six-hitter against Avon Saturday during the Minnesota Baseball Association Class C state tournament in St. Cloud.

But there was a problem. The Bears didn’t record a hit.

Avon’s Kyle Collins pitched a no-hitter to defeat Cannon Falls 1-0, allowing one walk and striking out eight at Joe Faber Field.

“It hurts your pride getting no-hit but he pitched a heck of a game,” Meyers said. “We didn’t hit the ball crisp all day.”

Meyers said the team knew Collins would be tough as he threw 82 1/3 innings during the season, allowing just 11 earned runs on 51 hits and 16 walks. He struck out 101.

“We knew he’d be around the zone,” he said. “He had a good slider and changeup. … We didn’t get the barrel on the ball.”

Meyers was locked in as well with Cannon Falls’ only hiccup coming in the first inning.

The Lakers’ Rick Hendrickson reached on an error to start the bottom of the first. Matt Meyer reached on a fielders’ choice and ended up scoring on a single by No. 4 hitter, Taylor Holthaus, to plate the game’s lone run. The Bears committed three errors in the loss.

Meyers finished with one walk allowed and nine strikeouts but deserted his off-speed pitches after the early innings.

“I tried to crowd them inside,” Meyers said. “I don’t think I threw an off-speed pitch after the fifth. I just worked inside with the fastball.”

Avon’s first four hitters tallied five of its six hits, though the Lakers struggled to get any more offense going as Meyers picked off three base runners from first base.

Cannon Falls’ leadoff hitter Nate Otto coaxed a full-count walk with two outs in the ninth inning but was stranded there after a fly-out by Luke Winchell.

It was a frustrating end to the season for the Bears but Cannon Falls breezed through its region on the way to the state tournament.

“I think we played well,” Meyers said. “I thought we surprised the region a little bit as the No. 2 seed.”

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