Owatonna senior Alec Holcomb was masterful on the mound, not allowing a hit until the sixth inning and striking out eight, but Northfield scored a 3-2 nine-inning win.

In their season opener, Owatonna broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning with a pair of runs. Kodey Kiel reached on an error and Holcomb doubled to put runners at second and third. Two Owatonna courtesy runners, Noah Budach and Nick Staska, then plated runs on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.

Northfield got one run back in the sixth. Ryan Torbenson singled, moved up on a sacrifice and scored on a double by Hunter Koep. In the seventh, Torbenson delivered the big hit with two outs and two strikes to drive in the tying run.

In the eighth, Owatonna's Sam Hylle singled with two out and made it around to third but got stranded there. Jacob Gauthier relieved Holcomb and battled out of trouble to force the ninth inning. The Huskies went down 1-2-3. Northfield's Erik Bartho, who had singled and scored the tying run in the seventh, singled to lead off the ninth and scored the game-winning run on a single by Ross Beumer.

Each team threw out a runner at home.

Northfield (2-1) plays at Mankato East on Thursday. Owatonna (0-1) hosts Faribault Thursday at Dartt's Park with radio coverage on Power 96 radio.

Baseball scoreboard, Tuesday, April 12
Northfield 3, Owatonna 2 (nine innings)
Red Wing 4, Austin 3
Rochester JM 12, Century 2
Rochester Mayo 3, Winona 2
Albert Lea 12, Faribault 2
Mankato West 10, Mankato East 8
Kenyon-Wanamingo 7, Medford 3

NRHEG softball scored a 9-2 win over Blooming Prairie. Kayley Camerer hit a home run. Rachel Collins made a great defensive play at short stop for the final out of the game and had two hits. It was the 200th career win for coach Wendy Schultz.

Softball scoreboard, Tuesday, April 12
Northfield 14, Owatonna 12
NRHEG 9, Blooming Prairie 2
Triton 7, Faribault Bethlehem Academy 6 (eight innings)
Mankato West 4, Mankato East 0
Rochester JM 4, Century 2
Winona 2, Mayo 1
Zumbrota-Mazeppa 9, Kasson-Mantorville 7

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