GREEN ISLE, Minn. – Everything was going pretty much right for the Rochester Royals on Sunday afternoon as they played in the first round of the Class B state amateur baseball tournament.
But at the top of that “well done” list was the pitching of Gabe Pilla. The right-hander threw a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts in seven innings as the Royals defeated the Minneapolis Angels 11-1 in the single-elimination tournament.
Due to the 10-run rule, the game ended after eight innings.
“Everything about his pitching was good,” said Royals player and manager Logan Milene. “He topped out at 94 miles per hour with his fastball. His slider was good, his cutter was good, his changeup was good, his two-seamer was good. He had the whole arsenal working for him.”
The Royals, who did not participate in the state championship last season but won it two years ago, finished 21-6 overall. The Angels finished the season 10-10.
Pilla allowed two hits in the first inning, but then didn’t allow another one for the rest of the game. His team’s defense was flawless behind him, making no errors. That was a stark contrast to Minneapolis, which had four fielding errors.
Pilla only walked two batters.
Rochester built a 4-1 lead after three innings, then scored a single run in the fifth inning, four runs in the sixth inning and two runs in the eighth inning.
Milene and Hayden Brown both hit home runs for the Royals.
Milene hit 2 of 5 home runs with two RBIs. Brown also scored two runs.
Tyler Motley and Thane Meiners each scored two goals for the Royals, who finished with 12 goals total.
Things will get even tougher for Rochester in the second round of the state tournament. The team will face Air Freight Unlimited and its star pitcher Graham Laubscher on Saturday at 11 a.m. in Belle Plaine. Air Freight Unlimited is the defending state champion, and Milene considers Laubscher to be the best Class B amateur pitcher in the state.
“This task is going to be a lot more difficult,” Milene said. “(Laubscher) is a left-handed hitter and the best in the state. We have to swing the bats and keep (Air Freight Unlimited) as busy as possible with our defense. Given how well he plays on the mound, it’s going to be a low-scoring game.”
Milene hinted that Pilla will again be Rochester’s starting pitcher.
The state tournament consists of five rounds, the fifth being the championship.
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