The Elrosa Saints baseball team will play in the second weekend of the 100th Class C amateur state tournament. They earned that right thanks to a walk-off RBI-single by Jackson Peter to defeat Hadley 4-3 in today's opening round game in Dassel.
Peter's base hit was buried in left field, which allowed Andew Weller to score from second base for the game winner. Weller, the leadoff batter for the Saints in the ninth, was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on Will VanBeck's sacrifice bunt. Kevin Kuefler drew a walk, and Jackson Peter then drilled his shot over the third baseman's head for the game winner.
*Here's a rough video of the exciting post-game celebration in Dassel!
*Here's a video from the bottom of the 8th inning when the Saints tied the game at 3-3...
Hadley got a two-RBI home run in the top of the fifth inning that gave them a 3-2 lead.
Payton VanBeck got the pitching win in the ninth inning in relief of Cole Fuchs of Cold Spring, who pitched three scoreless innings. Starter Brett Engelmeyer of Greenwald went the first five innings.
*Here's a video featuring the entire top of the 9th inning with VanBeck on the mound:
Next: the Saints play Region 9A champion Minneota next Saturday at 4:30 p.m., with the site to be determined. **UPDATE: the game will be in Litchfield. Further details to come. Video is uploading. I have to put sports aside for part of the evening as I join what is the 'Event of the summer' at the Brooten Pavilion, where the wedding reception is being held for Larry Torkelson and Eva Smith of Sunburg. They got married! And we couldn't be happier for them.
UPDATE: the Spring Hill Chargers have also advanced to the second weekend of state! They toppled Roseau 6-4 tonight in Litchfield to get Region 15C a total of four teams in the final 32 teams left in contention. Congratulations! Ben Welle started for Spring Hill and pitched seven innings and was relieved by Anthony Revermann, who pitched the eighth inning. Lake Henry draftee Grant Ludwig was closer in the ninth. Next for the Chargers: their second round game is on Friday, August 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Delano, where their opponent will be the host Delano Athletics, champions of Region 12A.
New York Mills ended Regal's season with a 3-2 state tournament win in Litchfield after the Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. It marked the first state win for New York Mills since 1969.
Peter's base hit was buried in left field, which allowed Andew Weller to score from second base for the game winner. Weller, the leadoff batter for the Saints in the ninth, was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on Will VanBeck's sacrifice bunt. Kevin Kuefler drew a walk, and Jackson Peter then drilled his shot over the third baseman's head for the game winner.
*Here's a rough video of the exciting post-game celebration in Dassel!
*Here's a video from the bottom of the 8th inning when the Saints tied the game at 3-3...
Hadley got a two-RBI home run in the top of the fifth inning that gave them a 3-2 lead.
Payton VanBeck got the pitching win in the ninth inning in relief of Cole Fuchs of Cold Spring, who pitched three scoreless innings. Starter Brett Engelmeyer of Greenwald went the first five innings.
*Here's a video featuring the entire top of the 9th inning with VanBeck on the mound:
Next: the Saints play Region 9A champion Minneota next Saturday at 4:30 p.m., with the site to be determined. **UPDATE: the game will be in Litchfield. Further details to come. Video is uploading. I have to put sports aside for part of the evening as I join what is the 'Event of the summer' at the Brooten Pavilion, where the wedding reception is being held for Larry Torkelson and Eva Smith of Sunburg. They got married! And we couldn't be happier for them.
UPDATE: the Spring Hill Chargers have also advanced to the second weekend of state! They toppled Roseau 6-4 tonight in Litchfield to get Region 15C a total of four teams in the final 32 teams left in contention. Congratulations! Ben Welle started for Spring Hill and pitched seven innings and was relieved by Anthony Revermann, who pitched the eighth inning. Lake Henry draftee Grant Ludwig was closer in the ninth. Next for the Chargers: their second round game is on Friday, August 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Delano, where their opponent will be the host Delano Athletics, champions of Region 12A.
New York Mills ended Regal's season with a 3-2 state tournament win in Litchfield after the Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. It marked the first state win for New York Mills since 1969.
The Kimball Express defeated Region 9C's runner-up team, the Dumont Saints, by a 4-2 score on Friday in Litchfield to advance. They play Region 8A champion Buckman on Saturday, August 26 at 7 p.m. in Litchfield, a game that follows Elrosa's game with Minneota.
Region 15C champion St. Martin opens their state tournament with the Loretto Larks on Sunday, August 27 at 1:30 p.m. in Litchfield. The Larks were the fourth-place team out of Region 12C, and they beat Luxemburg 8-3 to advance.
