Springfield Tigers Baseball Team is runner-up in State Class A tourney

Tiger Baseball Team is MSHL Class A Runners-up

 The Springfield Tiger varsity baseball team advanced to the Minnesota State Class A Baseball Tournament and were rated the #2 team in the 8-School Tourney:  New Life Academy of Woodbury #1, Springfield Tigers #2, New Ulm Cathedral #3, Brandon-Evansville #4, Lewiston-Altura #5, Deer River #6, Kimball Area #7 and Red Lake County #8.

The Tigers played Kimball in round one and won the game, 7-6, in twelve innings when Sam Baier hit a long, walk-off homerun in the bottom of the twelfth inning to move to the semi-finals against New Ulm Cathedral at the Mini Met in Jordan.

 The 6-5 win over Cathedral advanced the Tigers to the championship game at Target Field against New Life Academy of Woodbury.  Branden Flock scored the winning run off of Jaden Mickelson’s double which led to the seventh inning win against rival New Ulm Cathedral.

On Monday, June 8 the Tigers made their way to Target Field for the Minnesota State High School League Championship Game.  It was a back and forth game between the Tigers and New Life Academy with NLA squeezing out the Tigers  for the state championship 6-5.

Kimball 6    Springfield 7

The Tigers opened the Minnesota State Class A Tourney with an exciting 7-6 victory with a long homerun off the bat of Sam Baier in the twelfth inning.

The Tigers pounded out 17 hits during the long, twelve inning win.  Sam Baier led the Tigers with 3 hits, including his game-winning homerun, 2 runs batted in with 1 run scored.  Teammate Carter Erickson had 4 hits with 3 runs scored followed by Jevan Richert with 3 hits, including a double, 1 run batted in and 1 run scored.  Jake Vanderwerf had 3 hits with a run batted in with Zach Johnson and Tanner Vogel getting 1 double each with Vogel adding a run batted in and a run scored.  Jaden Mickelson had 1 hit and 1 run batted in with Joe Pieschel adding a single during the Tiger victory.

Tiger pitcher Carter Erickson started on the mound for Springfield, throwing the first four innings, giving up 6 runs on 5 hits with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts.  Teammate Tanner Vogel pitched the next one plus innings with 1 strikeout.  Tiger Jevan Richert pitched the final six plus innings, giving up 5 hits with 5 strikeouts and earned the victory. 

Kimball 

2-0-1-0-3-0-0-0-0-0-0-0—6

Tigers 

1-3-0-0-0-2-0-0-0-0-0-1—7

 

Catheral 5   Springfield 6

With the 7-6 victory over Kimball, the Tigers moved on the to semi-final game against New Ulm Cathedral at the Mini Met in Jordan.

The Tigers up against New Ulm Cathedral was once again a classic.  Springfield fell behind 2-0 but fought hard to take the 4-2 lead until Cathedral took back the lead 5-4.  The Tigers won the game 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning with a double from Jaden Mickelson allowing Branden Flock to score the winning run and a trip to the  state championship game against New Life Academy, the defending champion.

Carter Erickson pitched the first four plus innings, giving up 5 runs on 7 hits with 1 strikeout.  Branden Flock pitched to one batter and Willy Vanderwerf earned the victory with two innings pitched, giving up only 2 hits.

On offense, the Tigers were led by Carter Erickson with 3 hits and 2 runs scored.  Sam Baier, Branden Flock and Tanner Vogel all had 2 hits apiece.  Teammates Jaden Mickelson and Zach Johnson added 1 hit apiece during the victory.

Cathedral  0-1-1-0-3-0-0—5

Tigers 0-0-2-2-0-0-2—6

 

NLA 6  Springfield 5

In a close, exciting Minnesota State Class A Championship game, the Springfield Tigers lost a heartbreaker in eight innings against defending champion New Life Academy of Woodbury, 6-5, at Target Field in Minneapolis.

Congratulations to Head Coach Bob Fink and the Tigers on their great 2015 season.  Their 23-4 season was fantastic and their future looks very bright.  Hats off to the Minnesota State Class A Championship Runnerup Tiger Baseball Team!

In the final championship game, the Tigers had Jevan Richert on the mound for seven innings, giving up 5 runs on 9 hits with 4 strikeouts.  Teammate Willy Vanderwerf took the loss, pitching the final one plus inning, and giving up the winning run in the eighth inning.

On offense, the Tigers were led by Sam Baier with 2 hits, including a double and a run scored.  Branden Flock, Zach Johnson and Tanner Vogel all had 1 double apiece with Jaden Mickelson and Carter Erickson getting 1 single each.

Congratulations to Springfield Tigers voted for the All-Tournament Team:  Jevan Richert, Carter Erickson and Sam Baier.

Tigers 0-0-1-2-2-0-0-0—5

NLA 1-0-0-3-0-1-0-1—6

More Photos in this week's Springfield Advance-Press

Springfield Advance-Press

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