Mudhens comeback for win over Orphans

They say a good team will find a way to win even if they're not playing well.

That's exactly what the Minneota Mudhens did Friday night when they overcame a 3-0 deficit to Hancocok and came back to win, 5-3.

"That just proves that we're a good team," said winning pitcher Jake Leighton.

Minneota handed the game to the Orphans early with four errors in the first four inning. With just three hits, Hancock took a 3-0 lead.

"It's really rare for us to have so many mental mistakes. Those are plays we usually get. But we battled through them and overcame them,
 said Manager Tyson Sonnenburg.

Hancock pitcher Derrick Foss held the Mudhens at bay until the fourth when Sonnenburg singled and Preston Nuy singled. Hancock catcher Austin Steege threw the ball away and Sonnenburg scored.

They got another in the sixth after a leadoff triple by Adam Durfee. Nuy slammed his second hit and knocked home Durfee to make it 3-2.

The big blows came in the seventh when the Mudhens got a big hit by Beau Buysse, a two-run single from Leighton and a run-scoring double from Durfee.

"Everyone stayed positive in the dugout. We've got to keep thte attitude alive and keeps plays alive," said Sonnenburg.

Meanwhile, Leighton was struggling on the mound, throwing over 80 pitches the first five innings.

But he stayed with it, kept getting stronger and ended up with his third win of the year.

"Jake was a dog on the mound," said Manager Sonnenburg.

Although he ended up with 130 pitches, and Sonnenburg knew, "Jake was getting up in the count," there wasn't any backing down by the Mudhen hurler.

"I kept asking Jake how he was doing and he kept saying he could throw another inning," said Sonnenburg.

"Right away I got up on guys and struggled. I'd get a strike and throw four straight balls. But, I'm a competitor. When Tyson asked me how I was doing  I said, yeah, I want another one."

Seen flexing his arm late in the game, Leighton admitted, "I Cramped up a little bit."

Hancock was disciplined at the plate and didn't chase balls Leighton normally would get opponents to swing at.

"He battled through it. Hes a veteran, he's been pitching a long time," said Sonnenburg.

Leighton also got the benefit of a great pickoff move. He picked three Orphans off base to stop rallies in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.

"Defensively we need to do a little better, but all around it was a good game for us," said Leighton. But those big hits (by Beau Buysse, two by Durfee and Leighton himself), prove we are a good team.

"He wanted to go tonight and I think he earned it," added Sonnenburg.

Preston Nuy was 3-4 to lead the Mudhens at the plate along with Durfee's two hits, two by Beau Buysse and a timely single by Sonnenburg.

The Mudhens, now 7-2 on the year, play at 2 p.m. Sunday at Clinton. They are home for a Memorial Day game During "Military Day" at the Minneota ballpark against the Windom Pirates.

Mudhens 5, Hancock 3
MINNEOTA (AB-R-H-RBI) Beau Buysse, c  5-1-2-0; Jake Leighton, p 4-1-1-2; Adam Durfee, ss 4-1-2-1; Tyson Sonnenburg 3-1-1-0; Preston Nuy, 3b 4-0-3-1; Danny Hennen, 1b 2-0-0-0; Jesse Drager, 2b 4-0-0-0; Noah Scott, lf 3-0-1-0; Brock Buysse, rf 3-1-1-0. Totals 32-5-11-4.
HANCOCK (AB-R-H-RBI) Andrew Shaw 2-1-0-0; Brendon Foss, ss 4-0-1-0; Andrew Rustad, 3b 2-0-0-0; Bryan Shaw, 2b 3-0-0-0; Derrick Foss, p 3-0-0-0; Chandler Gramm, p 1-0-0-0; AJ Whalen, rf 3-1-1-0; Brendon Shaw, 1b 3-0-0-0; Collin Brown, lf 4-1-2-0; Austin Steege, c 4-0-0-0. Totals 28-3-5-0.
Score by Innings:
Hancock         110 100 000 — 3 5   1
Minneota        000 101 30x — 5 11 4
E-Minneota: Drager 2, Beau Buysse, Durfee; Hancock: Steege. LOB-Minneota 8; Hancock: 7. SB-Hancock: Brown. SAC-Minneota-Brock Buysse; Hancock-Rustad, Bryan Shaw. 2B-Minneota: Durfee; Hancock: Whalen. 3B-Minneota: Durfee.
Pitching                IP    R    ER    H    BB    K
Minneota       
Leighton (W)        9      3     1      5      2       8
Hancock
D. Foss (L)          5.1   5     4      10    2       2
Gramm                2.3   0     0      1      2       2
HP-Andrew Shaw (2), Rustad, Whalen (by Leighton). PB-Beau Buysse. WP-Leighton. Picked off: Leighton (3).