By Spencer Flaten
Staff Writer
Prep Baseball Report Minnesota

Spotlight Game of the Day- Lakeville North vs. Eagan

EAGAN, MN- April 30, 2015  

The Lakeville North Panthers claimed a win over conference foes Eagan on Tuesday afternoon, 9-3. The Panthers, who entered this week ranked #2 in Minnesota’s Class AAA by the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association, never trailed in the comfortable road win.

Junior Luke Mericle got the start on the mound for Eagan, while Wesley Ahlers took the ball for Lakeville North.

The Panthers asserted their dominance at the plate right out of the gates. Four of their first five hitters got a hit in the top of the 1st inning, and North jumped out to an early 2-0 lead as a result.

The Wildcats fought back in the bottom of the 2nd inning and scored two runs to tie the game, thanks to an RBI single from sophomore Gus Kluender and an RBI groundout from senior Thomas Peterson.

However, from that point on it was smooth sailing for Lakeville North. Senior infielder Grant Gunderson and juniors Nick Fossey and Mitch Frederick each tallied an RBI in the top of the 3rd inning to reclaim the lead for the Panthers.

An error allowed another run to score for North in the top of the 4th, and junior Drew Stewart hit his second RBI single of the game to push the Panthers’ lead to five runs.

Junior outfielder Nate Klehr put the finishing touches on North’s offense with a 2-RBI single in the top of the 6th to make the score 9-2.

Eagan got a run back in the bottom of the 6th, but it was not nearly enough to mount a comeback.

Gunderson moved from first base to the mound in the 7th inning to see out the victory with a scoreless inning of relief.

The Wildcats did not help themselves in the field throughout the course of the game. They collectively had six errors that led to four unearned runs.

Ahlers got the win for the Panthers. He pitched six innings, allowed three runs (two earned), six hits, and struck out four. Mericle took the loss for Eagan. He went four innings and allowed seven runs (three earned) while striking out three.

Freshman catcher Nick Juaire went 2-for-3 at the plate for Lakeville North and drew two walks. Klehr and Stewart both finished with two hits and two runs batted in. Kluender went 2-for-3 to lead the way offensively for the Wildcats.

The Panthers are now 9-3 this season, while Eagan fell to 5-7.