Post-Bulletin, Austin MN 

TYLER, Texas -- Things didn't go too well over the weekend for the Riverland Blue Devils baseball team with a pair of losses in the JUCO World Series.

Riverland lost its first game on Saturday by a 14-8 score to Richland (Tex.) Community College. In their final game of the NJCAA Division III World Series on Sunday, the Blue Devils lost 5-3 to Suffolk CC from New York.

Brady Banse was the starting pitcher for Riverland in the opener against Richland CC. Banse had a rough second inning and took the loss. The Thunder Ducks of Richland scored eight runs in the bottom of the second inning.

The Blue Devils later trailed 9-1 after the third inning, but they got three runs back in the fifth. With two runs in the top of the eighth, the Blue Devils cut their deficit to 10-7, but it would get no closer.

"They had a huge second inning, but then we chipped away and had the momentum until they got four runs in the bottom of the eighth to put it away," Riverland coach Scott Koenigs said of the first game.

"Richland went on to 10-run Joliet (Ill.), the defending national champs, in the second round so we at least battled with them. Uncharacteristically, we walked 11 guys and beaned three more as our pitching gave out in the loss."

The Sunday game was a bit closer, but Suffolk scored three runs in the top of the seventh to break a 2-2 tie. Brandon Huhn was the starter for the Blue Devils and lasted into the ninth inning.

Huhn gave up a three-run homer in the seventh inning rally by Suffolk and would take the loss. Huhn had eight strikeouts in the final game of the season.

"We outplayed them, but left 13 runners on base," Koenigs said of the season-ending loss. "Brandon made only two mistakes, he hit a batter in the first inning and they went on to score two runs.

"Then, there was the three-run homer in the seventh. He missed the spot and left it out in front of plate and their kid hit it a long way. We had guys on base the whole game, but we couldn't come through with a big hit. It was a frustrating end to a great season. Still, making it to the JUCO World Series was a great experience and the folks in Tyler treated us well."

Riverland baseball finished the season with a 37-10 overall record.

JUCO WORLD SERIES

RICHLAND 14, RIVERLAND 8

Saturday

Riverland 010 031 021 -- 8 12 4

Richland 081 000 14x -- 14 14 1

Riverland: Zach Vlietstra 2-5, 2B, run, 2 RBIs; Shawn Pape 1-5, 3B, run; Kyle Starkey 3-5, 2 RBIs; Brandon Huhn 1-5; Andy Behnke 0-3, 2 walks, run; Shane Lange 2-4, 2B, HBP, 2 runs, RBI; Brian Voigt 1-4; Derek Emanuel 0-1; Derek Hahn 1-3, walk, 2B, 2 runs; Chris Lindemann 1-4, 2B, run, RBI. LP: Brady Banse 1 1/3 IP, 7 R, 7 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 1 K. RP: Ryan Palmer 5 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 H, 6 BB, 1 HB, 2 K; Alex Buckentine 1 1/3 IP, 4 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 1 HB, 1 K; Zach Prins 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K.

Richland: Richard Young 1-3, 2 walks, SB, 4 runs; Chris Castillo 1-4, walk, HR, 2 runs, 4 RBIs. WP: Phillip Clinard 5 2/3 IP, 5 R, 5 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 5 K.

SUFFOLK 5, RIVERLAND 3

Sunday

Suffolk 200 000 300 -- 5 9 2

Riverland 000 200 100 -- 3 11 0

Suffolk: Giovanni Jimenez 2-5, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Chris Rutigliano 1-4, 2 RBIs. WP: John Mincone 6 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 8 H, 5 BB, 1 HB, 6 K.

Riverland: Vlietstra 2-5, 2 RBIs; Pape 0-3, HBP, walk, SB; Starkey 1-5, run; Huhn 2-4, walk; Behnke 2-4; Lange 2-5, run; Voigt 1-3, 2 walks, run, RBI; Emanuel 0-4; Lindemann 1-3, walk. LP: Huhn 8 1/3 IP, 5 R, 5 ER, 9 H, 1 BB, 1 HB, 8 K. RP: Starkey 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K.