On July 1, the Milroy Irish traveled to Pipestone and emerged with an 8‑2 win over the local Athletics, a result that reshapes the upper tier of the Gopher League standings.
Pipestone had taken a 2‑0 lead into the third inning, but the Irish answered with a five‑run fourth that flipped the contest. A cascade of timely hits — including a single from Landon Quist and a double from Justin Nepp — set the foundation for the burst.
The rally was punctuated by an RBI single from Dawson Schelhaas that scored Quist and advanced Nepp to third, followed by a clutch hit from Collin Moeller that drove in another run before the inning concluded.
Pitching was a focal point of the game. Louwagie opened with three innings, allowing just one earned run on two hits while walking three and striking out three. Oliver Sterud entered in the fourth and surrendered three earned runs on a walk and three batters hit, before being relieved.
Reliever Matthew Geister closed out the frame, preserving the lead as the Irish maintained control. Across the box score, Luka Quist went 2‑of‑3 with a walk, while Garrett Elton also drew a base on balls, contributing to the offensive depth.
Playoff Outlook and Upcoming Schedule
The A’s will close the regular season with road games at Worthington on July 12 and at Hadley on July 19, before traveling to face the Express in Ramona on July 12 and returning home to meet Castlewood again on July 15. The tournament on July 22 will bring together the league’s top teams, offering a final showcase before the postseason.
In a separate contest, Castlewood rallied in the bottom of the eighth to defeat Elkton 5‑3, underscoring the competitive nature of the league as the Gopher League tournament looms on July 22.
Aidan Stewart, the Snappers’ starter, threw 124 pitches, 75 for strikes, and recorded 10 strikeouts while going 3‑of‑4 at the plate with an RBI. Nathan Shallcross contributed a ninth‑inning homer, and Dylan Kuehl and Aiden Erickson struck out to end the contest.