Maple Grove Senior High School Baseball opened the Section 5AAAA tournament quarterfinals with a commanding start, plating three runs in the opening frame and adding four more in the fifth to pull away from Rogers.
Oliver Taynton ignited the offense with a run-scoring double that brought Beckett Shimpa across home plate, giving the Crimson an early 1-0 lead.
Brogan Stowe took the mound and worked through five and one-third innings, earning the win with a steady performance that limited Rogers' chances after the early burst.
Vinnie Lenmark closed out the game, locking down the final five outs to preserve the lead and seal the 8-3 victory.
Rogers' Fightback Falls Short
The Royals managed to trim the deficit in the third inning, scoring two runs to narrow the gap, but the rally wasn't enough to overturn Maple Grove's lead.
What's Next for the Crimson
With the win, Maple Grove improves to 15-7 and will await the outcome of the Champlin Park/Irondale quarterfinal, a match scheduled for Thursday that will determine their next opponent.
Rogers, now 4-18, slide into the elimination bracket, where they will look to rebound against another challenger in the double-elimination format.