The Chanhassen Red Birds hosted the Waconia Lakers in a Region 6 C Playoff Elimination game on Sunday afternoon and came away with a great victory, 11 - 3. 

With the win, The Red Birds now face the Henderson Tigers at home on Tuesday evening, July 27th, for a 7:30 PM start at Storm/Red Bird Stadium.  Waconia ends their season at 6-14.

Luke Penovich started on the mound for the Red Birds and worked 7 innings allowing just 2 runs on 7 hits and 2 BBs and getting 3 Ks to notch his 2nd win against the Lakers this season, previously beating them 9-2 on May 26th in Waconia.  Zach Neubauer worked the 8th and 9th innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits and 1 BB.  Chanhassen committed no errors, but were the beneficiaries of 3 bobbles by Waconia, all of them leading to scores for the Red Birds.

Waconia scored first with a run in the 2nd inning.  SS Robbie Smothers walked, and advanced to 2nd on a single to CF by 2nd baseman, Josh Sell.  Brandon Hebig followed with another single to RF that plated Smothers, but Blaine Walstrom grounded out to Tony Marengo at 2nd base and the threat was over.

Chanhassen got two runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Adam Heitz singled to CF, stole 2nd, and scored on Jeff Pavlovich single to LF.  Cary McLaughlin hit a hard smash to 1st basemen Josh Eiden, glancing off his glove for an error advancing Pavlovich to 2nd who then scored on Nick Brenner's single to LF.

Waconia got a run back in the top of the 4th to tie the game at 2 each, when 3rd baseman, David Butz, walked; advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch and then scored on Josh Sell's single to LF.

Chanhassen opened the bottom of the 4th with the scored knotted a 2-2.  Catcher Zach Swenson singled sharply to LF. John Gulden followed with another single to left.    T.J. Gulden then dropped a great bunt toward 3rd base.  Pitcher Walstrom decided to get the lead runner at 3rd, but the throw was just a little late, and the bases were loaded. 

CF Casey Malgren then delivered the big blow with a single to left center that scored Swenson and John Gulden easily.  After Adam Heitz lined out to 3rd, RF Pavlovich drove a single up the middle that scored T.J. Gulden with the run that made the score 5-2, after 4 innings.

In the top of the 5th, Laker's Josh Eiden drove a single just over the 3rd base sack.   Jeremy Salden followed with another striper down the 3rd base line and Eiden tried to reach 3rd, but a great throw from  Heitz in deep left to 3B John Gulden got Eiden for the 2nd out of the inning.  Salden advanced to 2nd on the throw, but was left stranded with a fly ball to CF by Jesse Maistrovich.

Marengo and Swenson each walked to open the bottom of the 5th inning.  John Gulden then dropped a perfect bunt toward 1st that looked like it would roll foul, but the ball hugged the fair side of the line and stopped just an inch fair to leave bases loaded with nobody out. 

T.J. Gulden's single to left then drove home both Marengo and Swenson.  Malmgren then delivered his second RBI single in successive innings to drive home John Gulden for the 3rd run of the inning and an 8-3 lead for the locals.

Neubauer relieved Penovich to open the 8th inning and allowed a walk to Butz.  Smothers singled to left and then Jesse Wendt singled to left to load the bases.  Josh Sell then hit a grounder to Gulden at SS who took a sure out at second, unassisted, allowing Butz to score from 3rd for the Lakers last run. 

In the bottom of the 8th, Red Birds got 3 more runs by Pavlovich, McLaughlin and Marengo with the help of two walks, 2 Laker errors, and Marengo's RBI single to RF.

Neubauer got the Lakers 1-2-3 in the top of the 9th and the Red Birds moved to the next elimination game in the Region 6 C Playoffs.

Malmgren was 2-5 with 3 RBIs; Pavlovich was 2-4 scoring twice and getting an RBI.  T.J. Gulden was 2-5 scoring once and getting 2 RBIs. Marengo was 1-3, scored twice and drove in a run as well.  The Red Birds had timely hitting as well, getting 8 hits in 20 plate appearances with men in scoring position.

Jeremy Salden and Josh Sell each had two hits, with Sell driving in 2 of the Laker's 3 runs.

Next Game for the Red Birds will be Tuesday evening, July 27th at 7:30 PM against the Henderson Tigers at Storm Red Bird Stadium.