New Ulm, Minn. ? DePere, Wis., scored in the top of the 12th inning and the Raiders couldn’t answer, sending Lawrence to a 2-1 loss in the first game of the Central Plains American Legion baseball tournament.

Raiders’ ace Aaron Madill (8-1) struck out 11 and allowed just eight hits, but Lawrence’s bats couldn’t get going against DePere pitcher Curt Hendricks.

“(We) looked rusty at the plate,” Raiders coach Carl Brooks said. “But that is not to take anything away from (Hendricks) — he pitched a tremendous game. He was popping balls on us.

“We are a flyball hitting team, but he had us hitting pop-ups. That is an indication that his ball was moving.”

Two Madill errors in the 12th proved costly.

DePere started its rally when Nick Instefjord reached on a throwing error by Madill on a slow comebacker. Madill got the second out on a flyball but then misplayed a bunt, putting DePere runners on first and second.

A flyball to center field moved Instefjord to third, and Rick Berken’s single drove in the game-winner.

Hendricks, the Most Valuable Player of the Wisconsin state tournament, struck out eight Raiders and allowed just four hits.

The pitchers dominated the first six innings before DePere (40-15) slapped three singles with two outs in the seventh to take a 1-0 lead, which was almost enough.

Raiders pitcher Aaron Madill (23) tags out DePere, Wis., player Nick Instefjord. DePere beat Lawrence, 2-1 in 12 innings, Thursday in New Ulm, Minn.

Andrew Pyle singled to start the ninth, then Hendricks promptly retired two Raiders. Down in the count 1-2, Matt Berner shot a double to center that scored Pyle and knotted the score at 1-1.

Lawrence (40-11) had a chance in the bottom of the 10th when Dominick Harrell singled and went to third on an error, but Hendricks struck out Kyle Unruh and Pyle.

“Our 10-day layoff hurt us,” Brooks said. “Aaron pitched well, and that is Aaron. This is his first loss of the year.”

The Raiders play Minot, N.D., at 10 a.m. today.

DePere (Wis.) 2, Lawrence 1

DePere 000 000 100 001 — 2 8 1

Raiders 000 000 001 000 — 1 4 4

W — Hendricks. L — Aaron Madill (8-1).

2B — Raiders: Berner.