Fast-starting LaCrosse knocks Argos out of sectional

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Blaine Rust hit a two-run homer in the first inning, and the LaCrosse baseball team tacked on five more runs in the second inning and went on to beat Argos 7-1 in a Class 1A, Sectional 50 quarterfinal at South Central (Union Mills) Wednesday.

Dylan Kindig, Jamin Trump, Kole Burkholder, Kurt Johnson, Noah VanDuyne and Jackson Kindig each singled for Argos, who finished 8-10.

Burkholder pitched the first two innings and yielded five hits and seven runs (all earned). He walked three and fanned nine. Dylan Kindig pitched four scoreless innings of relief in his final prep game. He allowed four hits and no walks while striking out three.

Ian Doms pitched a six-hitter with four strikeouts for LaCrosse, who eliminated Argos from the sectional for the second straight year.

LaCrosse improved to 9-10 and will meet No. 4 South Central in the semifinals at 4 p.m. Eastern Saturday. South Central handled South Bend Career Academy 25-1 in five innings in their quarterfinal on Friday.

LaCrosse 7, Argos 1

Argos 000 010 0 – 1 6 1

LaCrosse 250 000 X – 7 9 1

WP – Doms (7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K)

LP – Kole Burkholder (2 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 0 K)

2B – Heminger (LC)

HR – Rust (LC)