By Nick Gerhardt
St. Louis Park seems to be an enigma. Relative little online presence or social media makes the Pirates unique in townball. They had a puzzling state tournament last year as the defending Class A champion. Park escaped the first round with a 2-1 win over Young American, which moved back down to Class C this season. Then Cold Spring ended the Pirates’ run with a 9-3 victory in the second round.
“We just like to go under the radar,” manager Adam Seaman said. “We’re still the same team that we’ve been but we do have a few newcomers.”
St. Louis Park had just nine players available for the first round game last year and came into the tournament with nagging injuries.
“Last year, we were the walking wounded going into it,” Seaman said. “Three guys had popped hamstrings, a pulled oblique. (Andy) Davis wasn’t around so it was (Chris Odegaard). The first game It was 99 degrees and (Odegaard) was hitting for himself, too, and almost fainted on the mound.”
Davis, missed most of last year with injury, but started for St. Louis Park Sunday against Dundas at Irish Yard in Green Isle. He’s one of several outstanding arms that include Odegaard, the 2018 Class C state tournament MVP, and Andy Peterson, the 2018 Class A co-MVP with Davis.
The lineup is littered with former Augsburg University players and have played together for several years. SLP won a state title in 2018 in Class A, which ended a 10-year title drought and served as their third title overall at the time. They’ve battled Minnetonka in the Riverview League for years.
The Pirates pared down the schedule this season to stay fresh throughout the season and allow the roster time for other activities. It helped make St. Louis Park stronger this season. They also added veteran Thomas Kinsella from the Cobras.
“This is probably the freshest we’ve been one through nine, plus pitching staff,” said Seaman, who took over manager duties from longtime manager Chris Duda this season.
St. Louis Park mashed against Dundas in a 15-5, eight-inning victory with Odegaard and Brandon Schmahl hitting home runs. Odegaard hit a three-run shot off the scoreboard in left field as part of a five-run third inning. Schmahl, who joined the team from the Minneapolis Cobras this year, hit a two-run shot to right field in the sixth inning that could’ve cleared the roof of the former school behind the fence.
Odegaard finished 2-for-4 with four RBI while Schmahl went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI. Jake Mangler went 4-for-4 with three RBI, including a two-run shot in the eighth inning.
Dundas clawed back for four runs in the seventh inning to stave off the run rule. Nate VanRoekel drove in a pair of runs while Jon Bishop scored following an error.
St. Louis Park faces St. Anthony Saturday, Aug. 24 at 1:30 p.m. in Jordan.
Rochester Royals 11, Minneapolis Angels 1, 8 innings
Gabe Pilla delivered a gem on the mound to send Rochester through to the second round with an 11-1, eight-inning victory.
Pilla dealt and limited the Angels to one run on two hits. The lone run came in the first inning, then Pilla shoved from there. He struck out 11 and did not allow a hit the rest of the way in seven innings of work.
The 2022 Class B champion Royals failed to make the tournament last season, getting beaten in the Section 1 playoffs by sixth-seeded Northfield. Rochester added Pilla, who previously played with Dundas and at North Dakota State, in the offseason after he moved to the area and he helped bring the Royals back to state.
Rochester can hit a bit too. The Royals got home runs from Logan Milene in the fifth with a solo shot and Hayden Brown hit a solo home run in the sixth to build a 7-1 lead. That chased Minneapolis Angels starter Matt Schuld, who gave up seven runs on eight hits. The Angels also committed four errors in the game.
Thane Meiners went 2-for-5 with an RBI that triggered the mercy rule. Motley finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and Milene went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
The Royals move on to face defending Air Freight Unlimited, 6-2 winners over Centennial in the first round, Saturday, Aug. 24 at 11 a.m. in Belle Plaine.
Highland Park 7, Andover 2
Andover mistakes piled up at the wrong time and allowed Highland Park to pull away with a 7-2 victory.
Highland Park benefitted from some early wildness from Andover starter Josh Stoll to score a run in the first inning. The inning included two hit batters, a walk and an infield hit. A hit batter drove in the run as Cory Reiter crossed the plate.
The Beavers added a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Another hit batter started the inning and later came around to score. A sacrifice fly from Dylan Gausman scored Simon Huyck to make it 3-0.
The Aces rallied in the bottom of the sixth. Andover scored a pair of runs to make it a 3-2 Highland lead. An Anthony Kunzia lead off double started things. He came around on a Carson Wadel double and a sacrifice fly scored Wadel.
Fielding miscues piled up for Andover in the eighth and the Beavers started to pull away with a four-run frame to build a 7-2 lead. Cory Reiter singled to center field and Adain Walsh scored after the Aces misplayed fielding the ball. A single from Brady Steensen pushed across another run to make it 5-2. Another fielding error, this time in right field brought in two more runs.
Highland Park will face Lyon’s Pub, which beat New Market 6-5 in the first round, Sunday, Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. in Green Isle.
