Elrosa Saints Elite 8 tournament continues *UPDATES

The second day of the Elite 8 amateur baseball tournament got underway by mid-afternoon after another round of rainfall passed over the Bonanza Valley area earlier today.

Elrosa's game tonight should get going by around 8:30 p.m. They face the winner of Royalton vs. Veseli, which started at 3 p.m. Additional game notes from the Spring Hill win last night were added to my previous blog post.

Elite 8 tournament opening-round scores:
Fergus Falls defeated Raymond 10-6.
Elrosa 4, Spring Hill 2 (last night)
New London-Spicer 1, Luxemborg 0 (last night)
Veseli 12, Royalton 1

Elite 8 round two updates...
Fergus Falls faces NL-S in one of the championship semifinals tonight.

Update...in the top of the seventh, NL-S took a 17-10 lead over Fergus Falls. The Twins won by a 17-11 final score to advance to the championship. The nightcap features Elrosa vs. Veseli in the other championship semifinal. First pitch was set for about 8:50 p.m.

Final score: Elrosa 1, Veseli 0! What a game! Ashton Dingmann drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ethan Vogt pitched a complete game for the win while giving up just four hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Veseli's Jackson Jirk also pitched a great game but took the loss while giving up four hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Earning one hit each for Elrosa were Kevin Kuefler, Blaine Fischer, Ashton Dingmann and Luke Illies.

In the bottom of the sixth, Jackson Peter advanced on an error and stole second base before scoring on Dingmann's base hit. Vogt then earned two strikeouts to go with one grounder to end the game after the top of the seventh. The Saints (5-7 overall) will face New London-Spicer in the championship on Sunday.

Sunday's schedule in Elrosa:
10 a.m. - Spring Hill vs. Royalton
12 p.m. - Luxemborg vs. Raymond
2 p.m. - Veseli vs. Fergus Falls (third place)
4 p.m. - Elrosa vs. NL-S (championship)

(VIDEO) Elrosa vs. St. Martin

 Here's video from Saturday's elimination game of the Region 15C tournament in Greenwald.

Elrosa finished 11-4 this season. Thanks for the memories! It was a heck of a fun summer taking in town team baseball.

Saints vs. Cubs: border battle

The Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team is hosting Greenwald tonight in a Stearns County League game.

Through three innings, the Saints have a 4-2 lead. They plated three runs in the bottom of the third to gain the lead.

*Update: through five-and-a-half innings, Elrosa has a 6-2 lead.

Below, video from the bottom of the fourth inning, featuring an RBI-single from Brandon Roelike:


Final: Elrosa 9, Greenwald 6.

Next: Elrosa (8-2 overall, 6-1 SCL) heads to Lake Henry on Sunday afternoon for a 1:30 p.m. game.

On Saturday morning, they announced a change for Greenwald vs. Richmond. The Greenwald Cubs will play at Richmond on Sunday at 1:30 p.m., and not in Greenwald. The field in Greenwald got too much rain last night, and more is forecast for today. They are preparing the Greenwald stadium and field for the Region 15C tournament in August, so they are taking extra care to keep the field in terrific shape.

The rain is good for crops!

Sunday results in Elrosa

Will VanBeck pitched a complete-game win for the Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team today. The Saints (3-1) defeated Freeport 12-1 to earn third place at the Elite 8 tournament.

Elrosa had 12 hits in the game. Matt Schmitz scored three times and had three RBI to lead the offense. Also earning hits for Elrosa were Abe Peter, Jackson Peter, Luke VanBeck, Peyton Winter, Ryan Illies, Derek Wiener, Ryan Olmscheid and Will VanBeck.

Next: the Elrosa Saints (4-1) hosts Richmond in a Stearns County League game on Friday, June 26 at 8 p.m.

Other scores today in Elrosa:
New London-Spicer prevailed 9-7 over Watertown in the Elite 8 championship game tonight.

Earlier in the day, Fergus Falls defeated New Munich 10-4 to claim fifth place. Tri-City beat Cannon Falls 10-0 in the seventh-place game to start today's action.

In Stearns County League action on Sunday...
Spring Hill beat Greenwald 14-7.
Meire Grove beat Lake Henry by a 4-3 score.
Richmond beat Roscoe 13-2 in seven innings.

Elrosa baseball raffle

The Elrosa Baseball Club's spring raffle is postponed from April 10 until Friday, May 22. The tentative location for May 22 is Bucky's Bar.

Prayer warriors

I learned today that the Elrosa Baseball Club's cash raffle held on December 22 was a smashing success for the Easton Rood family. The 2 1/2-year old from Belgrade is battling cancer. A brief update on Easton was published in the January 9 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice (page one).

A member of the extended family mentioned that they hold an enormous level of gratitude to the Elrosa club for holding the raffle. Those in charge of the raffle were "extremely professional" from start to finish in pulling this off (kind of at the last minute...as it was thrown together in November). The money raised will help defray the gigantic level of bills and other financial obligations that the Rood family is enduring while little Easton battles for his life.

Beyond that I don't have much to share. In February, I hope to get a story published on how things are going for Easton and his family.

Funeral coming for an Elrosa Hall of Fame member

Two of the three men shown above have passed away. Herman Kampsen (far left) passed away on Monday this week. Joe Duevel (center) passed away in April of this year. Vince Haider is on the right. These three men are members of the Elrosa Baseball Hall of Fame. Kampsen was inducted into Minnesota Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1982 and to the Elrosa Baseball Hall of Fame on June 1, 2007. Haider was inducted on July 3, 2009. Duevel was inducted on July 3, 2014. This photo was taken the night of Duevel's induction standing outside the Elrosa baseball stadium.

Mass of Christian Burial for Herman Kampsen will be Saturday, January 4 at 1 p.m. at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic church in Elrosa.

Visitation for Kampsen will be from 10 a.m. until leading up to Mass time.

He and his beloved wife, Delores, shared an amazing marriage that lasted 73 years until his passing.

Rest in peace, to a truly great, unforgettable and one-of-a-kind man!

Here's the link to his obituary, posted at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website (short link): https://bit.ly/2u0KgFB.


In basketball news...

Today at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, the B-B-E Jaguars girls' basketball team lost 45-44 to No. 1-ranked Minneota (10-0). In a report that I read on the game, the Vikings, who led 24-16 at halftime, had their worst shooting performance of the season but squeaked one out the door of the R/A Center at SMSU.

Girls' basketball score on December 31:
Springfield 63, Russel-Tyler-Ruthton 56
Jordan 73, Pine Island 40
Lac qui Parle Valley 55, Edgerton 35

First loss of the summer

The Elrosa Saints Little Dipper baseball team suffered their first loss of the summer when Farming beat them in Elrosa by a 5-4 score on Wednesday night this week. Both the Saints and Flames were undefeated to that point in the Stearns County League. Read about the game here at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper's website, including a video clip:
http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com/story/2016/06/16/sports/flames-nip-saints-with-first-loss/299.html

Tonight the B-B-E Legion baseball team plays a Melrose Sub-District contest at Sauk Centre at 6:30 p.m. Also tonight is a home fastpitch game for the B-B-E 17-U Jaguars; they host Osakis at 6 p.m. at the elementary varsity diamond.

Saints over Grovers

Elrosa shortstop Matt Schmitz caught a shallow pop fly for the final out in the bottom of the 2nd inning at Meire Grove. The Grovers had a bases-loaded threat going before this play.

Elrosa's amateur baseball team won 6-2 today at Meire Grove to move to 7-3 in the Stearns County League North division. The Saints led 1-0 in the first inning but were deadlocked at 1-1 heading into the 9th. They scored 4 times in the top of the 9th for a 5-1 lead. Up next: Lake Henry visits on Wednesday night for make-up game; the next night New Munich comes to town on Hall of Fame Night when Joe Duevel will be inducted prior to first pitch.

In the bottom of the 4th inning of the Little Dipper game at Lake Henry, pitcher Ryan Illies points to home base after first baseman Evan Wiener caught a put out throw. Wiener threw to home base for another put out attempt, but the Lakers player slid in ahead of the tag for Lake Henry's second run of the game.

At Lake Henry tonight, the Elrosa Little Dipper team has a 9-3 lead in the 6th inning. Final: Elrosa 11, Lake Henry 3. The Lakers fall to 5-1 in the SCL standings, while the Saints are 6-2. Elrosa's next Little Dipper game is at Meire Grove (2-4 SCL) on Wednesday, July 2.

Farming is in first place at 7-0 after beating Greenwald 9-0 tonight.

Saints hammer Farming

The Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team improved to 6-1 in the Stearns County League North division with a 14-2 seven-inning win over Farming tonight on the home diamond.

Elrosa travels to Willie Riegstad field in Sunburg for a Saturday afternoon game against Norway Lake-Sunburg at 3:00pm. (June 8) Then it's all eyes set on neighboring Spring Hill!

**Here's the game to circle on the calendar: one week from tonight Elrosa hosts Spring Hill in the 2014 Battle for the Keg Part II! It's gonna be a fantastic game that has not only the Keg on the line but also first place in the SCL-North standings. Currently the Chargers sit atop the league with a 5-0 record.

Here's what's left this weekend in the SCL, all games on Sunday at 1:30pm: Greenwald at Roscoe, Meire Grove at Farming, Spring Hill at Richmond.

Scenes from this past weekend's Region 15C baseball tournament

A handful of Elrosa partisans getting relief from the sun on Sunday in the bleachers...
A handful of future Elrosa Saints players gathered on the large deck in front of the press box at Green Lake Diamonds...
The Elrosa Saints team is about to begin their game against Farming on Saturday...

Thankful for the press box at Saints Field

It was a cold afternoon for a baseball game on Thursday, but Elrosa's crown jewel was definitely up to part on accommodating a photographer! The baseball complex in Elrosa is no doubt the best in Central Minnesota.


Action from the first inning against Pierz on Thursday...

Elrosa Saints' state tournament dreams end today vs. Lake Henry, the 2010 Region 15C champions

Elrosa lost 8-4 in a dramatic game against Lake Henry in the elimination final game of the Region 15C amateur baseball tournament.

Lake Henry went on to defeat St.Martin 5-2 in the championship later today, helped by a four-run third inning and a strong starting pitching performance from Josh Roelike, who earned the win on the mound for the Lakers.

Opening round of the Class C amateur state tournament: Region 9C champion Sacred Heart (26-13) plays St. Martin at 7:30 p.m. and Raymond (31-6) plays Lake Henry at 5 p.m. next Saturday in Bird Island in the first round. Sacred Heart upended the Rockets 8-4 Sunday in the Region 9C seeding game.

Photos from the weekend in Greenwald are available to check out at the Sauk Centre Herald's online photo gallery: http://saukherald.mycapture.com

Also being uploaded tonight are pictures from the Belgrade August Fest Tug of War and Miss Belgrade Pageant. And I can't forget to mention, the Pope County Fair as well. (Yeh, it was a terribly busy weekend!)

On Monday I'll begin uploading countless video clips from the Tug of War in Belgrade, the Pope County Fair, and of course the Region 15C baseball tournament.

More will follow later tonight.

More action from the Region 15C amateur baseball tournament last weekend in Greenwald

Here, the Saints record the final out on a grounder from Austen Hadley during their battle with Starbuck in an elimination game on Sunday. Final score: Elrosa 6, Starbuck 4.


From the Elrosa vs. Starbuck game on Sunday...


In the top of the fourth inning against Starbuck, Pat Illies scores on a dropped pop fly attempt for the second Elrosa run of the game.

Elrosa caps a 4-2 win over New Munich in the playoff opener

Below is footage from the end of the game between Elrosa and New Munich on July 18.

Elrosa Saints amateur and Little League teams are in action for the playoffs today

Here's a scene from the Belrade/Brooten vs. Elrosa Little League game on July 9 at the Brooten Tournament during Bonanza Valley Days.


The Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team hosts New Munich today (Sunday, July 18) at 1:30pm for the division opener, while the Little League Saints travel to #1-seeded Lake Henry for a 6:30pm game in the Stearns County League quarterfinals.

Look back tonight for results.