Twins move on — barely

Survive and advance. At this time of the year, that’s all that truly matters. And even though Sauk Prairie’s 7-6 win over Wisconsin Dells in the first round of the Home Talent League playoffs Sunday afternoon was far from a thing of beauty, it was enough to keep the Twins’ season alive. Sauk Prairie pounded out 10 hits and Noah Frey threw four innings of stellar relief as the top-seeded Twins (12-1) edged the eighth-seeded Rivermen (4-9). Sauk Prairie will now host Reedsburg (9-4) in the second round of the Northern Section playoffs Sunday at 1 p.m. “Our win was hard fought, as Wisconsin Dells put together tough at bats and collected a lot of hits,” Sauk Prairie manager Lucas Koenig said. “We were able to play just good enough defense and offense to get the victory.” Frey gave up four hits and one run over four innings, striking out three and walking none. Sam Koenig then came on and threw a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the save. Lucas Koenig, Chucky Schara, and Quinn Baier each collected two hits for Sauk Prairie. Elliot Dederich and Baier each drove in two runs for the Twins. Wisconsin Dells struck for three runs in the second inning off Twins’ starter Connor Leister. But Sauk Prairie answered back with three runs in the bottom of the frame to tie the game, 3-3. Spencer Alisch reached on an error and Lucas Koenig walked, and with one out, Alex Mayer reached on an error that plated Alisch. Then with two outs, Dederich singled to right scoring both Lucas Koenig and Mayer and tying the game, 3-3. Dells knocked Leister from the game when it plated two runs in the fourth and surged to a 5-3 lead. Once again, though, the Twins answered with a two-run frame that tied the game, 5-5. Ben Lenerz opened the inning with a walk and Schara singled to right to put runners on the corners. Baier singled to left to score Lenerz, then Mike Jordahl followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Schara and tied the game, 5-5. Sauk Prairie took the lead for good with a two-run fifth. Ty Brisky was hit by a pitch to open the inning, then Lenerz was hit by a pitch with one out. Schara followed with a bunt single to load the bases, then Baier reached on an error to score Mayer — who was pinch running for Brisky — with the go-ahead run. Then with two outs and the bases loaded, Sam Koenig walked to score Lenerz and give the Twins a 7-5 lead. Wisconsin Dells added a run in the sixth. But Frey allowed just one hit and no runs in the seventh and eighth innings.  Then in the ninth, Dells had a one-out single. But the Twins turned a double play to end the game and advance to the second round. “We will have to tighten up our play to advance against Reedsburg,” Lucas Koenig said. • All-Star fun: The Sauk Prairie Twins will host the HTL All-Star game between the Northern and Western Sections on Friday at 7:05 p.m. at Chuck Hall Field. Sauk Prairie’s MIke Jordahl, Quinn Baier, and Spencer Alisch were voted All Star starters, while Lucas Koenig will manage the squad • Oh what a night: Sauk Prairie’s Austin Pagel threw a no hitter at Cazenovia on July 26 in a Thursday Night game.  Pagel, who graduated from Sauk Prairie High School in June, is in his first year with the Twins. “It is exciting and an impressive accomplishment to throw a no-hitter in the Home Talent League,” Lucas Koenig said.  “Austin has shown us good stuff from the left side and it all worked in Cazenovia.”