After months of doubt about the ability to play their season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the defending state champion Becker Buzzards baseball team traveled to Kensington Sunday to open their season and came away with an 11-0 win in five innings.  

The Buzzards sprinted out of the gate and plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning as Steve Newman and Rich Petty drew walks and thanks to a wild pitch and a Jason Wald sacrifice fly, the visitors had the early lead.

The outlaws put a couple of runners on base in their half of the inning, but Buzzard ace Jason Pfingsten struck out two batters to end the threat.  The righthander earned the win by going four innings, scattering five hits and striking out an incredible 10 batters in his limited work.

The Buzzards made it 3-0 in the second when new Buzzard, Chico Schroeder, reached on a single and pinch runner Ryan Williams scored on a Jon Kern single.  

The game opened up in the top of the third when the Buzzards were able to plate four runs.  The big hits were a Schroeder double and a single off the bat of Nick Allerson.  

The scoring continued for Becker as Todd Klaers walked to lead off the fourth and Wald followed with a double to put runners on second and third for Matt Koester, who singled to score both runners.  

The final runs of the game would come in the top of the fifth when Brian Kolbinger walked and Allerson singled to reach base.  After advancing on a fielder’s choice, both runners scored on a Newman single.  Kolbinger came in to close out the game with a scoreless bottom of the fifth.

“Due to COVID-19 and orders from the state, our season got off to a bit of a late start,” said Manager Jason Baune, back for his fourth season at the helm after taking over the team. 

“However, we still have 10 games on the schedule which should be enough to prepare us for the state tournament in mid-August.”

The home schedule starts for the Buzzards at the Becker Athletic Complex July 11 when they will host both the Verndale Geezers (noon) and the Fergus Falls Riverdogs (2 p.m.).  Other home games include a July 19 doubleheader against the Alexandria Classic Clippers at 2 p.m. and August 9 when the Morris Brewers come to town for a doubleheader at 2 p.m.

“With the current Covid-19 situation, it is important to know that we will be following some new protocols,” added Baune.  “Fans will be asked to stay six feet apart from anyone not in their family and we will not have concessions available at the ballpark either.”

Other state mandated precautions include the elimination of sunflower seeds or any spitting by players, no high fives or other types of unnecessary conduct. The end of the game handshake is now replaced with a tip of the cap between teams.

Several central Minnesota area amateur baseball games have been canceled in the past week due to concerns of potential Covid exposure by team members, but as of now no confirmed reports have been verified.