The Riverland baseball team showed that it means business this year as it pulled off three lopsided victories at the crossover tournament at the Riverland complex Saturday.

The Blue Devils (8-8 overall) beat Fergus Falls 12-1 in five innings and beat Vermilion 13-1 in five innings and 12-2.

“We were facing guys that we like to face at the beginning of the year, because we’re getting our timing down,” RCC head coach Scott Koenigs said. “But we’ve still got a lot of work to do. There’s still positions where we really don’t have a starter and hopefully somebody steps up.”

Matt Boswell, a freshman shortstop from Austin, Texas, was big in all three wins as he went 4-for-9 with four doubles, seven RBIs and four runs on the day. Boswell also turned a couple of double plays on defense.

“I just had to keep my mind focused and just play baseball,” Boswell said. “I’ve played it all my life and it’s a fun game. It’s good to get on the field and out of the gym.”

The Blue Devils were able to start fast after playing some tough competition in Florida to open the season two weeks ago and they were glad to get back in action.

“The competition in Florida was a lot better than what we saw today, so we just played our game and ran all over these guys,” Boswell said.

The closest of the contests was the second game against Vermilion as Riverland led just 5-2 in the fourth when Vermilion had runners on first and second with one out. RCC pitcher Adam Carroll got out of the jam by getting James Groth to ground out into an inning ending double play.

“I’ve got eight guys behind me that I’ve got all the confidence in the world in. So it’s pretty easy to get on the mound,” said Carroll, who struck out nine in five and one-thirds of an inning. “It’s good to get these wins in, but when we start facing teams like Rochester that’s when this is going to help. We need to get some at-bats and this is going to help.”

RCC took a 7-2 lead in the fifth when Kyal Williams dropped a bloop-single to score a run and Boswell knocked in a run with a double to left. RCC added five more runs in the top of the seventh to put it away.

Vermilion catcher and Austin grad Jacob Hines hit a solo homer over the left field fence in the second inning to make it 5-1.

In the 13-1 win over Vermilion, RCC had just six hits but its hitters were hit by seven pitches. The Blue Devils jumped out with seven runs in the first inning as Boswell drilled a three-run double to right-center field.

Braden Hunkins lifted a two-run homer to right field in the second inning to make it 10-0.

In the 12-1 win over Fergus Falls, Kyal Williams hit a three-run homer in the midst of an eight-run fourth inning for RCC.

Koenigs said that he’s ready for his team to continue its winning ways.

“Hopefully we start winning most of the games we play in now. That’s why we go to Florida, so things are a little easier when we come home,” he said.

RCC 0 5 0 0 2 0 5 — 12 10 1

VCC 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 — 2 4 4

RCC pitching: Adam Carroll (W), 5 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 9 K; Michael Osmundson, 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 K; Jon Mittag, 1 IP, 0 R

RCC hitting: Jordan Mondeel, 2-for-5, triple, 3 RBIs; Mike Tindal, 3-for-4, double, RBI, R, BB; Renne Araujo, 0-for-3, RBI, R, 2 BBs; Kyal Williams, 2-for-3, RBI, 2 BBs; Dalton Woellert, 0-for-1, 2 R, 3 BBs; Matt Boswell, 2-for-4, 2 doubles, 4 RBIs; Chris Anderson, 0-for-3, R, BB; Andrew Schunck, 0-for-3; Jamie Adams, 0-for-3, 2 R; Reece Steckler, 1-for-1, 2 RBIs; Kris Caldwell, 3 R, SB

VCC 0 0 0 0 1 — 1 8 0

RCC 7 3 3 0 X — 13 6 1

RCC pitching: Williams (W), 4 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 0 R, 5 K; Matt Cheesman, 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K

RCC hitting: Caldwell, 1-for-3, RBI, 2 R, HBP; Kyle Young, 1-for-2, R; Araujo, 2-for-2, double, 2 RBIs, R, BB; Brad Winkelman, 0-for-3, RBI; Boswell, 1-for-2, double, 3 RBIs, 2 R, BB; Carroll, 0-for-1, RBI, R, BB, HBP; Braden Hunkins, 1-for-2, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 R, HBP; Shane Barry, 0-for-2, RBI, R, HBP; Adams, 0-for-1, RBI, R, 2 HBP; Tindal, 2 R, HBP

RCC 12, Fergus Falls 1

RCC pitching: Tyler Jones (W), 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 6 K

RCC hitting: Mondeel, 2-for-3, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 2 R; Young, 0-for-2, R, BB; Araujo, 0-for-2, R, BB; Williams, 2-for-3, HR, 4 RBIs, 2 R; Boswell, 1-for-3, double, 2 R; Winkelman, 1-for-2, double, 2 RBIs, R; Steckler, 0-for-2, R, BB; Anderson, 1-for-3, RBI, R; Aaron Fischer, 0-for-1, RBI, R, HBP