Denzer delivers right before dark as Post 91 beats Rochester
Published 9:31 pm Thursday, June 19, 2025
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Austin Post 91’s Tyler Carter breaks for second base against Rochester JM Thursday night at Riverland Community College. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin Post 91 pitcher Noah Dunlap delivers against Rochester JM Thursday night at Riverland Community College. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin Post 91’s Casey Denzer slides safely into third base during a game against Rochester JM Thursday night at Riverland Community College. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Haydn Quitmeyer rounds third base on the way home against Rochester JM Thursday night at Riverland Community College. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The setting sun was putting plenty of pressure on the Austin Post 91 Legion baseball team to finish the job and Casey Denzer made sure the team entered sundown with a win when he came up with a clutch, two-out, RBI walk-off single to beat the Rochester Patriots 4-3 in eight innings in a game that was played in a Riverland Field that didn’t have lights Thursday night.
After Narek Rector walked to start the inning, he eventually advanced to third and Denzer delivered the much needed shot on a rope to right field.
“It was getting dark. We probably only would’ve been able to do one more inning,” Denzer said. “It was tough, but I knew I was going to walk it off. It was a good game and good to get the win. That’s all that matters.”
Haydn Quitmeyer, who went three-for-three with an RBI double, singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning for Post 91, but he was stranded at third as that was the lone hit of the frame.
Post 91 had runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Casey Denzer hit into a fielder’s choice and Noah Dunlap grounded out to end the frame.
Austin took its first lead of the ball game in the bottom of the fifth inning when Quitmeyer was hit by a pitch with two outs and Purkapile singled. Both runners scored on a two-out throwing error by JM. The Patriots bounced back by tying the game at 3-3 on a one-out wild pitch in the top of the sixth.
“We teach and preach being resilient and playing until the last out is made,” Austin head coach Chad Pederson said. “I’m very proud. It’s a great group of kids and if one of them is struggling, the next one steps up.”
Quitmeyer reached base all four times he was up to the plate as he was locked in.
“It’s a lot of fun out there,” Quitmeyer said. “That’s baseball.”
Noah Dunlap struck out 12 in six innings for Post 91 (1-1 overall) and John Rollie pitched two scoreless innings to score the win in relief.
JM 010 011 00 – 3
Austin 001 020 01 – 4
Austin pitching: Noah Dunlap, 6 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 2 ER, 12 K; John Rollie (W) 2 IP, BB, 0 R, 4 K
Austin hitting: Jonah Rohne, 2-for-5; Casey Denzer, 2-for-5, RBI, 2 SB; Noah Dunlap, 0-for-4; Haydn Quitmeyer, 3-for-3, double, RBI, R, SB, HBP; Benton Purkapile, 2-for-3, SB; John Rollie, 0-for-3, 2 SB, BB; Keegan Duholm, 0-for-3; Tyler Carter, 1-for-4, SB; Shaye Gustafson, 0-for-2; Narek Rector, 2 BBs, 2 R
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