There will be two pre-Feb. 15 sessions for pitchers on consecutive Sunday mornings, Feb. 5 and 12.

Much of the 2012 roster was set after the fall semester practice/tryout session, but late additions to the squad are still possible. Players wanting a tryout should contact the head coach, Tom Yelle, prior to February.

Anoka Ramsey will play Rainy River on either March 24 or 25 (Saturday or a Sunday), at a time to be determined. In addition, Anoka Ramsey will host Vermilion CC of Ely the following Thursday (March 24) at Wintercrest West — weather permitting, of course.

Anoka Ramsey won the first game 10-8 after jumping out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning. Two-run singles by both Noah Tesch (Spring Lake Park) and Travis Norman (Denfeld) along with a run-scoring scoring single by Patrick Steinbring (Anoka) and a run-sc0ring double by Nick Wong (Roseville Area) were the big hits of the inning.

The team made it 7-0 in the top of the third when Sam Blevins (Roseville Area) singled home Evan Dozier (Champlin Park), who had walked, with a run.

After Rochester cut the lead back to 7-3 in the last of the third, Anoka Ramsey scored a run in the fifth thanks to another Blevins RBI single and two more in the sixth on a home run by Wong and a run-scoring double by Tesch.

Tesch — on the pitcher’s mound — sailed through the first five innings, giving up just two hits, but an error in the sixth opened the door for a three-run Rochester rally after two were out. Blevins came on to work out of the jam, and though he was tagged for two more runs in the seventh, picked up the save.

In all, Tesch and Blevins limited Rochester batters to a total of six hits.

Anoka Ramsey took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game two thanks to a run-scoring single by Trevor “Bo” Daniels (Coon Rapids), but Rochester matched that run and scored in each of the succeeding four innings, ultimately building up an 8-3 advantage on its way to the 8-3 win.

The loser of three consecutive games to Minnesota West, including an 11-1 first-game-of-a-doubleheader contest earlier in the day May 4 at Wintercrest, Anoka Ramsey came out of the box quickly in game two to establish the big, early lead on its way to a 7-3 win.

Tough-luck sophomore right-hander Jared Carlson (Maranatha) scattered eight hits, struck out nine batters and did not issue a walk in not only picking up his first win of the 2011 season, but of his Anoka Ramsey career. As a freshman relief pitcher four years earlier, Carlson did not record a victory. Carlson had pitched very well in many previous outings — during this return season at Anoka Ramsey — but had an 0-5 record going into May 4.

Wong (Roseville Area) provided most of the run support, finishing with a three-RBI game, while Jack Kiesner (St. Michael Albertville) and Sam Blevins (Roseville Area) also had run-scoring hits.

And contributing a run-scoring bunt was catcher Travis Norman (Denfeld), who squeezed home Nick Knoche (St. Bernard’s) from third with a fifth-inning run.

Sophomore right-hander Jared Carlson. Photo by Alan Williams

The first-game starting time has also been moved back to 4:30 p.m.

The setbacks extended Anoka Ramsey’s losing string to three games going into an April 26 doubleheader against Minnesota West in Worthington.

In game one, Anoka Ramsey was limited to just two hits through the first five innings — both by Nick Wong (Roseville Area), who finished gthe game with three in five at bats. Designated hitter Jared Carlson (Maranatha), who doubled, and Cole Linnell (Champlin Park), who singled, had run-scoring hits in the sixth, but Rochester CTC pulled away in the top of the seventh by scoring five runs for the 12-run victory.

Rochester also had a big top-of-the-seventh-inning rally — four runs — in the second game to turn a close 5-4 contest into a five-run victory. All four runs came after two were out when starting Anoka Ramsey pitcher Alex Williams (Coon Rapids) was on the verge of a complete-game performance.

A walk, three hits and three errors later, however, transformed the opportunity into a major deficit.

Trevor “Bo” Daniels (Coon Rapids), who along with Wong and Sam Blevins (Roseville Area) had two hits in the game, drove in the first Anoka Ramsey run in the third. Blevins also drove in a run as did Jack Kiesner (St. Michael Albertville) in the third.

Anoka Ramsey’s final run was driven in by catcher Travis Earls (St. Francis) in the sixth with a double off the left-center-field wall. The hit scored Evan Dozier (Champlin Park), who was running on the pitch, all the way from first.

Knoche, Anoka Ramsey’s leading hitter coming into the doubleheader, was 0-for-3 prior to his turn at the plate in the last of the seventh inning with one out and runners on second and third. Down 5-0 at one point in the game, Anoka Ramsey had clawed back to within a run when Knoche, a lanky athlete who formerly was a hockey goaltender, ripped the ball over the first base bag down the chalk in right.

The hit easily scored pinch-runner Trevor “Bo” Daniels (Coon Rapids) from third with the tying run and catcher Travis Norman (Denfeld) with the game-winning run in a 6-5 Anoka Ramsey victory.

It also gave freshman Dallas Edeburn (Blaine), who had come in relief of starter Jared Carlson (Maranatha) in the seventh,  his first collegiate pitching win. Edeburn worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam to keep Anoka Ramsey close in the top half of the seventh, 5-3.

Anoka Ramsey trailed most of the game — 2-0 from the first through the top of the sixth — at which time Riverland added three more for its biggest advantage, 5-0. In the last of the sixth, however, consecutive run-scoring singles by Sam Blevins (Roseville Area), Jack Kiesner (St. Michael Albertville) and Patrick “Patches” Steinbring (Anoka) produced Anoka Ramsey’s first three runs of the game.

In the last of the seventh, Anoka Ramsey picked up the rally when Evan Dozier (Champlin Park) was hit by pitch, Carlson walked and Noman singled home the team’s fourth run.

Daniels pinch ran for Carlson and moved up to third and Norman to second on a perfectly executed sacrifice by bunt by lead-off hitter Nick Wong (Roseville Area).  This set the stage for Knoche, who ended the game by feasting on an 0-1 pitch.

In game two, Anoka Ramsey fell behind 1-o in the first when Blevins was tagged for a one-out, solo home run.  The deficit grew to 6-0 in the third when Riverland scored five more runs, three of which rode home on another home run.

In the last of the third, however, Anoka Ramsey stormed right back with a four-run rally.

Nick Knoche, sophomore second baseman.

A run-scoring double by Steinbring, followed by a two-run double by Daniels made it 6-3. Daniels ultimately scored after a Cole Linnell (Champlin Park) single and infield ground ball off the bat of catcher Travis Earls (St. Francis), who picked up the RBI.

But that was it for Anoka Ramsey, which stranded five other runners after Daniels had scored run No. 4.  Meantime, Riverland padded its lead with a run in the fourth and another in the fifth.

Anoka Ramsey will renew its acquaintance with Riverland in Austin April 30, during a doubleheader that is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

Originally, the doubleheader was scheduled to take place in Austin April 20, but the Tuesday snowstorm that blew through the southeastern corner of Minnesota prevented an opportunity for play through the end of the week.

As a result, Anoka Ramsey’s scheduled home doubleheader Saturday, April 30, will be played, instead, at Riverland in Austin.

Iowa Lakes scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning to power away from Anoka Ramsey 12-0 in the first game, then scored two runs in the top of the second game to complete a come-from-behind effort and break a 4-4 tie in the second game for a 6-4 win.

The losses extended Anoka Ramsey’s losing string to four games.

Anoka Ramsey, which was limited to just four hits and no runs in the first-game loss, jumped to a 3-0 lead in the last of the first in the second game on run-scoring hits by Nick Wong (Roseville Area) and Patrick Steinbring (Anoka). The team  took a 4-2 lead into the sixth when Iowa Lakes was able to scratch out a pair of runs off relief pitcher Alex Williams (Coon Rapids), who had taken over in the fourth for starter Noah Tesch (Spring Lake Park).

In the last of the sixth, Anoka Ramsey had a tie-breaking run on second with one out, but could not get it home. In fact, Anoka Ramsey stranded three runners on base in the sixth. Iowa Lakes then put together two hits, a walk and wild pitch to take the lead and game.

After an 8-3 first-game loss, Anoka Ramsey came from behind to beat Rainy River 9-6 in the second.

Tesch, a first-year pitcher-first baseman-outfielder, lofted a two-ball, no-strike pitch over the right field fence at Wintercrest West with Evan Dozier (Champlin Park) and Nick Knoche (St. Bernard’s) on base. The bomb afforded Anoka Ramsey an 8-4 lead at the time.

While it was the biggest Anoka Ramsey hit of the day, it was one of five Tesch collected in six official at bats during the entire doubleheader. He had a pair of singles in three first-game at bats, then had a double and single before and after the home run in game two. He also had a walk in game two and scored three of Anoka Ramsey’s nine runs.

Daniels, meantime, a first-year outfielder from Coon Rapids, had two hits in four second-game at bats, but it was his drive over the center fielder’s head in the sixth inning, a drive that carried to nearly the 400-foot sign, which proved to be an incredible highlight — the inside-the-park home run. Daniels easily scampered over to third on the play, then was waved home, beating a relay throw to the plate with a fade-away slide.

From the historical perspective, it was the first inside-the-park home run in more than 25 years by an Anoka Ramsey ball player.

Other big hits included a two-run single down the left field line by Patrick Steinbring (Anoka graduate) in the third inning, which gave Anoka Ramsey a 5-4 lead. He also had a first-inning sacrifice fly to finish the game with three RBI.

Pitcher Alex Williams (Coon Rapids), who was tagged for three runs on no hits in the first, righted the ship and pitched strong baseball through the sixth, giving up just two hits. Jared Carlson (Maranatha)  finished the game, but was hindered slightly by three successive Anoka Ramsey errors that helped turn a comfortable 9-4 edge into a slightly closer 9-6 final score.

Nick Wong (Roseville Area), Cole Linnell (Champlin Park) and catcher Travis Norman (Denfeld) collected Anoka Ramsey’s three RBIs in the first game of the doubleheader, a game that slipped away early.