It certainly wasn’t a pristine performance but the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva baseball team found a way to get the job done Tuesday night against Blue Earth in New Richland.

The Panthers and Buccaneers combined for 14 errors, tallied a total of 30 base hits and scored a combined total of 22 runs in a 12-10 NRHEG win.

Panthers head coach Jeff Reese called it a typical first game. Perhaps some of that is fitting.

NRHEG took control of the game early and jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first inning, courtesy of a two-run homer by senior catcher Colton Schlaak.

Just as soon as the Panthers grabbed the lead, Blue Earth took it back. In the top of the second inning the Bucs scored four runs to take a 5-4 lead, but that wouldn’t last either.

NRHEG scored two runs in the bottom of the second to regain the lead.

Blue Earth had one more rally in it in the top of the sixth inning when the Bucs scored three times to take a 10-9 lead, it wasn’t for long.

Matt Tomsche came through with a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth and the Panthers hung on to win 12-10 for their first victory of the season.

Brett Hagen finished 4-for-4 on the night. Tom Wacholz went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Naysh Huntington went 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and freshman pitcher Mitch Akemann hit a two-run double.

Akemann also picked up the win in relief of starter Payden Peterson

NRHEG 12, BEA 10

BEA 140 203 0 — 10 15 7

NRHEG 420 303 x — 12 15 7

WP — Mitch Akemann 4 IP, 5 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 3 ER, 10 H