Minnesota Amateur Baseball Tournament Underway
The defending Class B State Champion Chanhassen Redbirds opened tournament action tonight with a 1-0 walk-off win over the Champlin Park LoGators in Dassel. Redbirds right handed pitcher John Straka of Eden Prairie threw a 2 hitter. Michael Jurgella of Burnsville scored the winning run on a pinch hit single by Aaron Pfaff of Chaska.
LoGators pitcher Sam Riola of Ham Lake scattered 6 hits in the tough loss. Stroka struck out three, had no walks and hit a batter. Riola had 11 strike outs, 3 walks while working out of a couple of jams before the 9th inning bases loaded game ending hit.
Former Triton standout athlete Logan Spitzcak who played baseball at St. Cloud State University is a member of the defending State Champion team. Spitzcak is a pitcher for the Redbirds.
Chanhassen will play the winner of Saturday's Northfield versus Beaudreau's game next Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Dassel.
In Class C opening round action St. Patrick saw their season end after a 4-0 loss to Cold Spring in Delano. The Irish could only manage two hits off Rockies starter Ryan Hennen. Matt Ambroz and Seth Ambroz collected those hits for St. Patrick.
Nick Splitt started for the Irish and took the loss while giving up two runs following 4 2/3 innings of work. Both runs were unearned. Spitt struck out 5, walked 3. Draftee John Krocak of Montgomery allowed 2 earned runs in 2 1/3 innings with 3 strikeouts, no walks. Zach Seurer threw the last 2 scoreless innings with 2 hits and 2 strikeouts.
The Rockies will play Farming next Saturday in Delano at 1:30 p.m.
The other Class C Tournament opening game in Maple Lake was a similar contest with the New London-Spicer Twins edging the Howard Lake Orphans 2-0. Twins pitcher Adam Nibaur allowed two hits over 9 innings with 6 strikeouts and no walks. The 6'7 Willmar native is a right handed pitcher and remains unbeaten. Nibaur is 8-0, has allowed 48 hits in 68 innings pitched with 11 walks, 54 strikeouts following the win.
The Twins play next Sunday in Delano against Mora at 11:00 a.m.
The lineup for the remainder of the weekend for KDHL area teams:
Class B: All games in Dassel
- 11:00 a.m. Saturday Northfield takes on Beaudreau's
- 1:30 p.m. Saturday Miesville faces the Moorhead Mudcats
- 4:30 p.m. Saturday Dundas plays Coon Rapids
- 7:00 p.m. Saturday Rochester goes up against Blaine
Class C:
- 1:30 p.m. Saturday Prior Lake plays Foley in Maple Lake
- 4:30 p.m. Saturday Stewartville-Racine tangles with Buckman in Delano
- 7:00 p.m. Saturday Morristown faces Isanti in Delano
- 1:30 p.m. Sunday Waterville plays St. Benedict in Delano
- 4:30 p.m. Sunday Lake City goes up against Fort Ripley in Delano
- 4:30 p.m. Sunday Green Isle plays Sauk Centre in Maple Lake