The JWP baseball team wrapped up an action-packed final week of the regular season, finishing with a strong 12-6 record. Despite a roller-coaster week of dominant wins and tough learning experiences, the Bulldogs are locked, loaded, and heading into the postseason as a dangerous second seed.
Offensive Explosion Routes Blooming Prairie
TUESDAY, MAY 12 — The Bulldogs opened the week at home, blowing past the Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms in a decisive 12-5 victory.
On the mound, Gerdts earned the win, racking up seven strikeouts while relying on a stellar defensive unit to escape tight jams. Center fielder Quast anchored the defense, tracking down eight flyouts through seven busy innings.
Offensively, JWP unleashed a 15-hit barrage, scoring in every single frame after the second inning. The defining blow came in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded and nobody out, a walk forced in the first run. Quast then stepped to the plate, popping up into an infield fly ruling, but deep enough to scratch across the Bulldogs’ fifth run of the game. The rally kept rolling as Peterson lined a hard grounder down the left-field line; a Blooming Prairie outfield error allowed Peterson to reach second while Wolff and Bure raced home. After Peterson scored on a wild pitch, Johnson crushed a double to center field to drive in two more. Geariety capped off the massive inning with an RBI single to bring Johnson home. Gerdts led the team’s offensive charge with four hits and three runs, while Johnson racked up a team-high four RBIs.
A Mixed Road Trip: Defeat at Triton, Bounce-Back at Hayfield
MAY 13&14 — The Bulldogs hit the road for back-to-back away games, experiencing both sides of the baseball coin.
On Wednesday, JWP suffered a tough 1-11 setback against Triton. However, that defeat served as instant fuel. The very next day, the Bulldogs traveled to Hayfield and unleashed their frustration on the Vikings, pillaging them en route to an 11-6 victory.
Peterson earned the win on the bump against Hayfield, putting on a pitching clinic with 104 pitches—80 of them striking the zone. JWP set the tone early, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning by capitalizing on a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a dropped third strike. Bauer delivered the knockout blow, driving a line-drive single to center to plate the final two runs. Gerdts remained red-hot at the plate, leading the lineup with three hits and two runs scored.
Season-Finale Setback Sets Stage for Postseason Focus
FRIDAY, MAY 15 — In their final home game of the regular season, JWP hosted a formidable New Ulm Cathedral squad. While the game was a tight 11-3 battle through three frames, the Greyhounds broke the game wide open with a devastating 13-run fourth inning, ultimately handing the Bulldogs a 3-24 defeat in five innings.
While it wasn’t the ideal performance heading into the playoffs, it is a game the Bulldogs can easily wipe from their memory banks.
Postseason Outlook: Section 1A Tournament Awaits
With the regular season in the rearview mirror, JWP (12-6) now turns its attention to the Section 1A Tournament, which begins on Wednesday, May 20.
Entering the tournament as the highly coveted No. 2 seed, the Bulldogs have won six of their last 10 games and boast a dangerous blend of power pitching and explosive bats. JWP will host Schaeffer Academy in the opening round to kick off their postseason. With a team-wide goal of reaching the State Tournament, the Bulldogs will look to their veteran senior leadership, focus, and determination to fuel a deep playoff run.
