The Becker Bulldog boys baseball team beat Sauk Rapids-Rice in their first round section game, then lost to St. Cloud Tech in their second round game to fall to the lower bracket to play St. Cloud Apollo.

 

They will need to win three straight games to gain the championship match with a chance to go to state.

 

Sam Matchinsky went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored to help top-seeded St. Cloud Tech top No. 5-seed Becker in the Section 5AAA quarterfinals at Joe Faber Field Thursday afternoon.

 

Justin Mohs went 2-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored and Max Unze went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored for the Tigers (18-4).

 

 Cody Gruenhagen went 1-for-4 with one RBI and Clayton Gallus went 2-for-4 with a double for Becker.

 

Logan Aleshire pitched six innings to get the win. He gave up four hits, one earned run, four walks and struck out five.

 

Tech faces No. 2-seed Rocori in the semifinals at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Joe Faber Field. Becker drops into the loser’s bracket and will play No. 7-seed St. Cloud Apollo at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Municipal Athletic Complex.

The winner will take on the winner of the Big Lake versus Sauk Rapids game.

 

Kendal Hanson earned a complete-game win for Becker in a Section 5AAA playoff win over No. 4-seed Sauk Rapids at Bob Cross Park Tuesday in Sauk Rapids.

 

Hanson gave up one run, two walks and struck out six. Andrew Stanger went 2-for-3 for the Bulldogs.

 

Noah Klinefelter took the complete-game loss for Sauk Rapids. He gave up seven hits, two earned runs and struck out three.