MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Aberdeen Smittys got off to a tough start during the Gopher Classic American Legion baseball tournament on Friday. The Smittys gave up six late runs in a 6-3 setback to Creighton Prep, and dropped a heartbreaking 2-1 decision to LaCrescent.

Aberdeen played with 1-0 lead for the majority the Creighton contest after Phillip Zens scored on a ground out in the second inning. However, Creighton came up with five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, four of which were scored after two were out. John Lisec had a two-run single and later stole home.

Creighton added another run and had a runner throw out at home in the sixth.

The Smittys scored two runs in the top of the seventh as Drew Salfrank and Cooper Eisenbeisz each drove in runs with singles. Aberdeen had the tying run at the plate before a line out to rightfield ended the game.

Eisenbeisz had two hits and Joel Welke had three walks. Zane Backous struck out seven batters.

Zens allowed just one earned run and one hit in six innings against LaCrescent, but it wasn’t enough. Zens racked up 10Ks in the contest.

“Our starting pitchers did an outstanding job today,” said Smittys coach Nathan Gonnelly. “Zane Backous and Phillips Zens both pitched gems.”

Aberdeen managed one run in the bottom of third when Salfrank doubled and scored on a single by Casey Vining. The Smittys stranded the tying run on third base in the bottom of the seventh.

Vining and Welke each had two hits for Aberdeen.

“If a couple things go our way, maybe the outcomes are a little bit different, but we can’t focus on that,” Gonnelly said. “We have to move on and continue to play our style of the game.”

The Smittys are back in action with two more games at the Gopher Classic today.

Aberdeen Smittys 010 000 2 – 3 6 2

Creighton 000 051 x – 6 9 3

Zane Backous, Donnie Soderlund (5) and Talan Duetenhoeffer; Easton Loucks and Michael Chase.

LaCrescent 001  100 0 – 2 2 1

Aberdeen Smittys 001 000 0 – 1 6 4

Boyer and Fagan; Philip Zens, Cooper Eisenbeisz (7) and Talan Dutenhoeffer. 2B – Aberdeen Smittys, Drew Salfrank.