With the help of assistant coach Kevin Hiedeman and a handful of volunteers, the Breckenridge Cowboys were able to avoid a weather cancellation Thursday, getting the baseball field ready for a home doubleheader against Frazee with diamond dry, leaf blowers and hard work.
What came next was a twin bill of competitive, clean baseball from both teams. Breckenridge won the opener, 4-1, and dropped the nightcap, 2-1.
Starting the day on the mound was Riley Kappes. The sophomore delivered a complete-game three-hitter in just 85 pitches. Kappes walked two and fanned two while allowing one earned run.
Gavin Hoffert set the table with a pair of runs in the leadoff role. Cooper Roberts stayed hot in the three spot with a 2-for-3 performance.
Quenten Lugert and Kappes both drove in a run.
Asher Blaine took the loss for Frazee despite showcasing his swing-and-miss stuff. Blaine recorded eight strikeouts across five innings, scattering five hits and walking three. The righty allowed four earned runs.
Neither team committed an error in the opener.
Game two was a war of attrition between Heart O’ Lakes Conference rivals. Breckenridge scored a run in the third and Frazee struck twice in the fourth for the game’s final runs.
Roberts raked again at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Trey Vogelbacher was the only other Cowboy to record multiple hits in a 2-for-3 performance.
In a rare occurrence, Kappes drew his second start of the doubleheader. He held Frazee scoreless through 1 ⅔ innings pitched, working around three hits.
Logan Church was charged with the loss. The lefty fired 4 ⅓ frames and allowed one earned run on four hits. Church recorded two strikeouts and didn’t walk a batter.
Kaiden Krause earned the win after six innings of work. Krause allowed an earned run on five hits and five walks while striking out three.
Dawson Lyman locked down the save in the seventh, working around two baserunners and striking out one batter.
The split helped Breckenridge (9-8, 7-5 HOL) stay a half game ahead of Frazee (10-10, 7-6 HOL) for fourth place in the conference standings.
