The Jackson Bulls beat the Heron Lake Lakers 5-1 at Wacker Field in Game 1 of their League playoff series on Wednesday night.
The Bulls scored twice in the bottom of the first inning. Carter Snyder batted in a run with a sacrifice groundout during the frame. The Lakers cut the deficit in half when Matthew Voehl supplied an RBI single during the second. Jackson scored three more in the home half.
Ryan Rasche earned his 100th career win for the Bulls. He went the distance while striking out 14 Lakers with one earned run on just four hits plus one walk.
Easton Piotter had a double and a run scored to go with singles by Keegan Klontz and Jackson Joyce for Heron Lake. Joyce also pitched 6.1 shutout relief innings.
Chris Gumto had a double and Blaise Jacobsen had a broken-bat single down the stretch for Jackson.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series is at Memorial Field in Heron Lake on Saturday.
The Fox Lake Foxes outlasted the Lakefield Horned Frogs 4-3 at home in Truman in Game 1 of their best-of-three series.
Joey Flohrs tossed 11 strikeouts and allowed just one earned run in a complete-game gem for the Foxes. Steven Zehms had a pair of hits and batted in a pair of runs. He also stole a base and scored a run. Blake Buntjer registered one hit and one run. Griffin Studer and Dalen Keltgen each scored once.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series is at Stan King Field in Lakefield on Friday night.
The Worthington Cubs beat the Pipestone A’s 7-1 at home during Game 1 of their best-of-three series.
Game 2 is in Pipestone on Friday night.
The top five seeds in the 11-team group get a bye to the Region playoffs.
The Windom Pirates, Fairmont Martins, Milroy Irish, Luverne Redbirds, and Hadley Buttermakers are waiting in the next round.