Faribault Lakers Repeat Region Championship

The Faribault Lakers did it again Friday night. They repeated as Region 3C champs and did it in exciting fashion.

Faribault's only lead in the showdown with New Market at Bell Field came in the bottom of the 11th inning when Mitch Johnson crushed a pitch over the center fielder's head, scoring Phil Holz for the walk-off 6-5 win.

The grandstand was as full as I've seen in my 28 years in Faribault on fan appreciation night with drawings for prizes galore from Faribault businesses. They ranged from a dozen ears of sweet corn to gift certificates to local restaurants.

New Market took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when starting pitcher Parker Holmstrom reached first with one out on an error. He would later score on a bases-loaded walk to Kyle Bergstrom. Back-to-back walks led to that run as Laker starter Matt Stocker struggled a bit with his control.

The Muskies would add two more runs in the top of the fourth inning on a two-run homer by Brett Herber. Faribault native Nick Rost started the fourth with a double just before Herber's blow. Matt Stocker did a terrific job working out of that inning with just the two runs allowed. He coaxed back-to-back ground outs before giving up back-to-back singles and struck out the No. 2 hitter to end the New Market rally.

The Lakers would make it 3-2 in the sixth inning. Mitch Johnson led the inning with a single, and with one out Matt Lane smashed a home run to left center field. The left-handed batter was pumping his fist in the air as he rounded the bases, and the jolt seemed to awaken the Lakers. Before the sixth inning they could only muster two hits off Holmstrom.

Holmstrom left the game after the sixth with 99 pitches thrown. The right-hander had six strikeouts and two walks, allowing four hits. Brett Herber took the hill next for New Market.

Matt Stocker was relieved in the fifth inning by Jack Helgeson on the mound. Stocker would throw 68 pitches in his four innings of work. He struck out three, walked three and gave up five hits. Helgeson would pitch the next five-plus innings and allow only a single run.

In the eighth inning, Herber led off the inning with a walk and would score on a ground out by Ballentyne to make the score 4-2 Muskies.

Helgeson tallied 64 pitches with one strikeout and two walks. He pumped first pitch strike after first pitch strike, going 22 for 22 and only allowed three hits.

Meanwhile Faribault would tie the game in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Johnson reached thanks to a throwing error. Joe Grote smacked a two-strike single to right. Lane connected for an RBI single with two strikes on him, and with two outs and two strikes Adam Jensen delivered a RBI single.

The Lakers had a chance to end the game in the bottom of the ninth. With one out Adam Kline was hit by a pitch and stole second base during a strikeout for the second out. Grote stepped up to the plate with the winning run standing at second and swung from his heels a couple of times before he was struck out to end the threat.

A lead-off double by Herber in the top of the 10th inning led to Helgeson's exit. In need of a strikeout or two, Faribault brought their ace, Lane, in to pitch. After a groundout to the right side of the infield to advance Herber to third, Lane struck out the next two batters.

New Market scored in the top of the 11th when David Stewart led the inning with a single off Lane and was sacrificed to second base. Stewart advanced to third on a fly out to center and then scored on a single by Faribault native Nate Rost.

The bottom of the 11th started with Dylan Valentyn being hit by a pitch. Pinch hitter Phil Holz then laid a bunt down that hugged the line nearly all the way to third base and the Lakers were in business. Kline bunted to advance Holz and Valentyn's pinch runner Kyle Murphy to second and third base. Blake Langerud laid down a bunt that first baseman Kyle Bergstrom couldn't handle. He attempted to get Murphy at home on the play but Murphy did score to tie the game and then Johnson lifted the two-strike pitch deep to center field scoring Holz for the walk off win.

Matt Lane was the winning pitcher while throwing to eight batters. He fanned three and allowed three hits and a run while throwing 27 pitches. Derek Bergstrom took the loss while coming in the game in the bottom of the 11th and inheriting a jam.

The win gives Faribault a first weekend bye in the State Amateur Baseball Tournament being played this year in Cold Spring and Watkins. They will play on Saturday, Aug. 29, in Cold Spring at 5PM.

Region runner-up New Market opens Sunday, Aug. 23, at noon against the third seed from Region 1. Region 3C third seed Shakopee plays Saturday, Aug. 22, at 11AM in Watkins against the Region 2 runner-up, and fourth seed St. Patrick will play at 5PM on the 22nd in Cold Spring against the Region 15 runner-up.

We will have the Lakers game on Power 96 Radio 95.9 FM and power96radio.com. Remember, you can download the free RadioPup app and listen on your favorite mobile device.