Ramblers Drop State Semifinal Matchup Against Crusaders

(KWMN)-

Five-seed Winona Cotter (25-4) faced top-seeded St. Cloud Cathedral (24-2) in the Class AA Semifinals at Dick Putz Field. The Ramblers were in pursuit of their first state-championship appearance since 1984.

Third baseman Rawson Sullivan started the game off with reaching on an error on the first at-bat of the game. KJ Kreidermacher smacked an RBI-double to left center to give Sullivan the first run of the game. Ryan Liebrenz hit a home run for the Crusaders to left to tie the game 1-1 after the first inning.

Cathedral shortstop Jacob Oliver hit a double to left and advanced off a pair of Avery Tillman wild pitches to give them a 2-1 advantage after two. After Sullivan was walked with two-away in the fourth, Will Peterson knock a double to left to give me the second run of the game as well. St. Cloud responded in the bottom of the fourth, with Charlie Dolan reaching home of a Macalister Nisbit balk.

The Ramblers could not find their footing after four, they earned two hits and no runs to give the Crusaders the victory. The Ramblers dropped the state semifinal against St. Cloud Cathedral 3-2.

Cotter looks to earn third place in the state tournament for the third time in program history. With their last state appearance in 2008 being the last time they reached this mark. They will take on the seventh-seed Windom Eagles (22-6) in the third-place game at Dick Putz Field. Coverage starts at 3:55 on 99.3 KWMN.