MINNEAPOLIS — Palace City Post 18 opened play at the Gopher Classic on Friday by splitting a pair of games, falling to Elk River, Minn., 3-1, before rebounding with a 10-4 victory over the Invictus Eagles of Omaha.
In the opener, Palace City was limited to three hits as Elk River’s Tommy Olson tossed a complete game, allowing one run while striking out seven.
Elk River broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Cadyn Schrempp and added to its lead in the sixth when David Mulcahy hit a solo home run to center field. The visitors added an insurance run later in the inning.
Jacob Ebert turned in a strong start for Palace City despite taking the loss. He pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking one.
Canon Moller drove in Palace City’s lone run, while Dawson Adams, Ian Weber and Jaxson Hartman each recorded a hit. Post 18 played error-free defense and turned one double play.
Elk River finished with 10 hits, led by Mulcahy, Schrempp and Joey Robeck with two apiece.
Palace City bounced back in the second game, using a pair of big late innings to defeat the Invictus Eagles.
After trailing 2-1 entering the fifth inning, Post 18 erupted for four runs in the fifth to regain the lead before adding five more in the sixth to pull away.
Ethan Hegg drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single in the opening inning. Palace City reclaimed the lead in the fifth with the help of an Eagles error, walks by Hegg and Weber, and an RBI single from Kaiden Allen.
Allen highlighted the sixth inning with a bases-clearing double as Post 18 scored five runs on two hits. Carter McCormick added a sacrifice bunt that drove in a run, and Moller contributed an RBI single.
Allen finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs to lead the offense, while McCormick also had two hits. Palace City drew six walks and turned a rare triple play on defense.
Nolan Widstrom earned the victory after allowing four runs, three earned, over four innings. Jaxson Hartman pitched the final three innings to record the save.
Palace City, now 18-18 on the season, continues Gopher Classic play Saturday with games against Bloomington, Minnesota, at 9 a.m. and Rosemount, Minnesota, at 11:30 a.m.