Roseville Baseball Topples Hill-Murray In Section 4AAA Playoffs

The Roseville baseball team kept its post-season hopes alive by eliminating top-seeded Hill-Murray on Tuesday to advance to the third round of the Section 4AAA Tournament.

It was the second straight upset for the ninth-seeded Raiders, who had defeated No. 8 seed North St. Paul on May 26 before toppling the Pioneers at a sunny and wind-swept Midway Stadium in St. Paul.

Roseville took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Dan Busch's two-out single plated Austin Colvard and Eden Cranston to give the Raiders an advantage they would not relinquish.

Coach Ryan Flanigan's club increased its edge to 3-0 on a Dan Busch two-out single that drove home Ryan Busch before Roseville doubled its lead with a three-run fourth inning.

Sam Podobinski, Colvard and Cranston all notched RBIs in the frame, with Cory Strecker, Nick Rauen and Scott Spangenberg scoring as the Raiders found themselves in front 6-0 halfway through the contest.

Hill-Murray was not about to go that quietly, however, getting two runs in the home half of the fourth.

Roseville added what proved to be a crucial tally in the top of the fifth as Tim Truninger scored on an infield chopper off the bat of Dan Busch; it would prove to be the Raiders' final run of the contest.

With a 7-2 lead and three innings to play, Roseville battened down the hatches and held on against a furious Hill-Murray rally. The  Pioneers scored once in the fifth and three times in the sixth to chase Cranston from the game after 5 1/3 innings of work.

Ryan Busch came on in relief with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth. While the Pioneers brought every runner home that was on base when Busch took the mound, the senior managed to get Roseville out of the inning with its lead slashed but intact.

Busch then earned the save with a spotless seventh inning to clinch the triumph for the Raiders, who improved to 11-10 on the year and now move on to face Suburban East Conference rival Mounds View in the winner's bracket semifinals on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Midway.

The Mustangs, seeded fourth in the bracket, defeated No. 5 seed East Ridge, 10-7, in its sectional matchup on Tuesday. Mounds View swept the season series from Roseville, winning 10-7 on April 11 and 3-2 on May 2.