CANOVA – Groton fell behind early and then had a rally fall short late in a 7-5 setback to Sioux Valley in the opening round of the high school baseball playoffs on Sunday afternoon.

Sioux Valley scored the first seven runs of the contest, including three runs on just one hit in the second inning thanks to a walk and a pair of Groton errors.

Meanwhile, the Tigers were unable to take advantage of their opportunities. They loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the first frame, but failed to score. Groton also had runners in scoring position in the second and third innings, but were unable to cash in.

Groton put a dent into the deficit with three runs in the third, a pair coming in on a Colby Dunker double. The Tigers inched closer with a run in the sixth on Bradin Althoff’s RBI single.

Groton eventually sliced the margin down to two when Brevin Fliehs connected for a two-out two-run double in the bottom of the seventh, but the Tigers stranded runners on second and third to end the contest.

Fliehs, Dunker, Logan Ringgenberg, and Karsten Fliehs each had two hits for Groton, which outhit Sioux Valley 10-7. Dillon Abeln struck out seven batters in relief.

Sioux Valley 132 100 0 – 7 7 1

Groton 000 301 1 – 5 10 3

Andrew Gunderson, B. Teske (7) and Braden Danzeisen; Gavin Engelund, Dillon Abeln (3) and Karsten Fliehs. 2B – Sioux Valley, Levi Loban; Groton, Brevin Fliehs, Colby Dunker. 3B – Sioux Valley, Danzeisen.