LITCHFIELD — The Litchfield Blues shut out the Buffalo Bulldogs 6-0 in the first round of the Region 12C tournament Friday evening at Optimist Park.
Avery Liestman led the Blues, throwing a complete game. He recorded eight strikeouts and three walks, allowing six hits.
Liestman forced the Bulldogs to leave 10 runners stranded on base.
Blues starting pitcher Avery Liestman fires a pitch toward home plate in a game against the Buffalo Bulldogs on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, at Optimist Park in Litchfield.
Michael Lyne/West Central Tribune
Andrew Loch opened up the scoring for Litchfield in the third inning. He stole home on a pitch that Buffalo’s catcher could not handle, avoiding the tag at the plate. That same at-bat, Eric Hulterstrum tallied an RBI single to score Eddie Estrada Jr to extend the Blues’ lead to 2-0.
Estrada Jr. and brother Winky Estrada each had two hits. Estrada Jr. went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run. Winky went 2-for-4.
Blues center fielder Cody Klabunde brought in a team-best two runners. He earned a walk in the sixth inning with bases loaded to score Jordan Lecher and later hit an RBI single in the eighth to score Hulterstrum.
The Blues face the Loretto Larks in the second round of the winners’ bracket in the Region 12C tournament at 7 pm Saturday at Optimist Park. Buffalo plays Delano in an elimination game at noon Sunday at Delano. Delano lost to Loretto 4-2 Thursday.
Blues first baseman Carson Deal receives a pick-off attempt from teammate Avery Liestman during a game against the Buffalo Bulldogs on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, at Optimist Park in Litchfield.
Michael Lyne/West Central Tribune
Buffalo 000 000 000-0 6 0
Litchfield 002 002 20x-6 8 0
Hitting – Buffalo: Colton Haight 0-5, Noah Christenson 1-3 hbp, Kai Brisk 1-4, Brett Renshaw 1-4, Evan Soeffker 1-3 bb, Ethan Hansen 0-3 bb, Cole LaPlante 1-4, Ryan Gaughan 1-3, Michael Weber 0-0 bb… Litchfield: Andrew Loch 0-4 sb r rbi sf, Winky Estrada 2-4, Avery Liestman 0-4 bb, Eric Hulterstrum 1-3 bb r rbi, Ben Alsleben 1- 3 bb sb r, Jordan Lecher 0-0 r, Eddie Estrada Jr. 2-4 hbp sb r, Carson Deal 1-3 bb sb r, Cody Klabunde 1-3 bb hbp rbi-2, Jake Jones 0-4 bb
Pitching (ip-hr-er-bb-so) – Buffalo: Eric Newman (L) 4-3-2-1-2-10, John Weber 2.1-4-4-4-3-1, Soeffker 0.2-1 -0-0-1-1, Carter Vogt 1-0-0-0-0-2… Litchfield: Liestman (W) 9-6-0-0-3-8
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