Junior Legion drop three games

The Lennox Post 174 Junior Legion baseball team dropped three contests over the weekend, falling to Brandon Valley JL Black on Friday before suffering two losses Saturday against Hopkins Post 320 Millers 17U and Bemidji Woodpeckers Junior Legion 17U.

Lennox opened the weekend Friday, June 26, with a 15-1 loss to Brandon Valley.

Brandon Valley built an early 3-0 lead in the first inning before erupting for eight runs in the second to pull away.

Post 174 broke through in the third inning when Madix Oltmanns and Andrew Stensaas opened with back-to-back singles before Charley Bittner drove in the team’s lone run with an RBI double. Bittner and Grayden Veurink each doubled for Lennox, while Oltmanns, Stensaas and Bittner recorded the team’s three hits.

On Saturday, June 27, Lennox fell 17-6 to Hopkins Post 320 Millers 17U despite taking an early lead.

Post 174 scored first in the opening inning when Cole Dressen singled home Cade Aasheim. Hopkins answered with a run in the second before taking control with a four-run third inning and three more runs in the fourth.

Lennox rallied with a four-run fourth inning. Lance Aasheim and Ashton Hermanson opened the frame with singles before Noah Hanson drove in a run with a base hit. Cade Aasheim followed with an RBI single, and the Juniors took advantage of a wild pitch and a throwing error to trim the deficit to 8-6.

Grayden Veurink added an RBI single in the third inning, while Cade Aasheim, Noah Hanson, Ashton Hermanson, Lance Aasheim and Cole Dressen each collected hits in the loss. Hopkins pulled away with five runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth to secure the 17-6 victory.

Later Saturday, Lennox battled Bemidji before dropping a 9-6 decision.

Bemidji jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but Lennox answered with a run when Madix Oltmanns singled home Cade Aasheim.

The Juniors took their first lead with a five-run second inning. Noah Hanson drove in Max Allie with a double before Cole Dressen delivered an RBI single. Grayden Veurink followed with a hit, and Oltmanns capped the rally with a two-run double to give Post 174 a 6-3 advantage. Bemidji responded and launched a comeback. 

Oltmanns led the offense with two hits, including a double, and three RBIs. Cade Aasheim added two hits and scored twice, while Dressen, Veurink, Hanson, Lance Aasheim and Max Allie also recorded hits for Lennox.