Terrific season ends in Section 6A finals in excruciating loss (VIDEOS)

It is cliche, but it holds true tonight: this game was not for the faint of heart. This game was "all over the place" the whole way...right to the end.

In the Section 6A championship series tonight in Clarissa, a late 9-5 lead could not hold up for the B-B-E Jaguars baseball team, with Parkers Prairie coming back from late deficits twice, including a 10-9 deficit in the eighth inning.

Here's a video featuring the end of the top of the 8th inning after the Jaguars scored one run:


Final score: Parkers Prairie 11, B-B-E 10 in eight innings. More than once, just when it seemed like the game was ours, the Panthers battled back to keep their chances alive. It really felt like we were within reach of earning a second game to the series. Unfortunately, and it is always unfortunate and heartbreaking to say this - a longer season was not meant to be. Parkers Prairie is state-bound for the first time since 2018.

B-B-E trailed 4-1 after the fourth inning. In the top of the fifth, Jack Lundberg led off with a single, and Brett DeRoo then hit a ground ball to the shortstop, but the throw to first was off the mark for an error. Kaden DeRoo hit a single that glanced off of the third baseman's glove. Owen Paulson then earned a walk with an RBI to cut it to a 4-2 deficit. Paulson put up a hell of a battle and swung in the batter's box for two-and-a-half minutes! Ethan Mueller then hit a two-RBI single to left field to tie the game. Aiden Mueller later hit a two-out two-RBI single that gave the Jaguars a 6-4 lead.

**And here's action from the top of the 5th inning...in this 8+ minute video:


The Panthers scored once in the bottom of the fifth and left two stranded on a deep foul ball that was caught by centerfielder Kaden DeRoo with B-B-E's halved lead intact...in the top of the 6th, the Jaguars got a huge boost when Luke Dingmann launched a three-run home run over the left field fence. The Jaguars took that 9-5 lead into the seventh inning.

Parkers Prairie then scored the needed four runs to send it into extra innings; the four runs included a three-run home run that just cleared the right field fence near the right pylon.

In the top of the eighth with a 9-9 tie game, Ethan Mueller's RBI-double gave the Jaguars a 10-9 lead.

In the pivotal bottom of the eighth, the Panthers tied the game on an RBI via a walk. The game ended on a bases loaded base hit that landed in the center of left field. For the game, Parkers Prairie out-hit the Jaguars 13 to 12. Kaden DeRoo led the Jaguars by going 4-for-5 at the plate.

Pitching for the Jaguars against Parkers Prairie were Luke Dingmann, Aiden Mueller and Kaden DeRoo.

B-B-E finishes the season 16-9 overall, which is good for a tie for the second-most wins in school history. The 16 wins equals the win total of the 1995 season, when the Jaguars went 16-4 after winning the West Central South Conference title. Steve Mueller, father of current players Ethan and Aiden Mueller, was a senior on that 1995 team.

The 2016 Jaguars continue to hold the record for most wins in a season. They went 9-5 that season in the Central Minnesota Conference before finishing in third place in Section 6A and 19-7 overall. That team was the first B-B-E baseball team to go six games deep in a postseason run. I'll never forget the 7-6 loss to West Central Area that ended the season. That was tough!!! Hard to believe it was 8 years ago...WCA then lost 5-4 to Parkers Prairie in the section championship. The Panthers then won 3-2 and 6-3 in two state tournament games before falling in the state finals 4-2 in 11 innings to Springfield at Target Field.

Here's action from early in today's Parkers Prairie game in the bottom of the first:


The Panthers got a solo home run that tied the game at 1-1 in the first inning. They ultimately left three stranded.

The Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website includes a short summary of this week's baseball playoff action. The attached video on that web article features action from the top of the sixth inning tonight against Parkers Prairie. You can find this by clicking here: https://shorturl.at/1bkDq.

For B-B-E, there's one event left on the horizon, the Minnesota high school All-Star Series. Senior Luke Dingmann was nominated to play in this game, so in a way, the season will continue for that. This 49th annual event, sponsored by the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association and Minnesota Twins Community Fund, takes place June 20-22 at the Chaska Athletic Park. Games will be played on Friday and Saturday that weekend.

Parkers Prairie takes a 23-1 record into the Class 1A state tournament next week. They are an outstanding baseball team and should earn a top three seed.

In the Section 5A finals, New York Mills thrashed Ogilvie 11-1 tonight to earn a state berth. They are 18-6 overall.

In the Section 3AA championship (game one), Minnewaska Area lost 3-2 to Montevideo to see their season end. They went 20-4 overall.

It's time to head home.

In fastpitch state tournament news from Caswell Park in Mankato...
Russel-Tyler-Ruthton, champions of Section 3A, fell 4-2 to New Ulm Cathedral in today's Class 1A state semifinals. The Knights (23-5) advanced to the state semis with a 10-0 five-inning win on Wednesday against Moose Lake-Willow River. They will play for the third-place trophy tomorrow against West Lutheran at 3 p.m.

West Lutheran (18-5) fell 8-2 in the other state semifinal today to Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley. The unseeded C-G-B Wolverines (20-4) continue their Cinderella season when they face top-ranked and top-seeded New Ulm Cathedral (25-2) in the Class 1A state championship tomorrow at 4 p.m. In the state quarterfinals on Wednesday, C-G-B defeated Red Lake Falls 9-7 to advance to the Final Four. The NUC Greyhounds were ranked No. 3 in the final QRF state power rankings on June 1, while Red Lake Falls was ranked No. 1.