By Ryan Simonson
Contributing Writer
The Waconia Lakers and Miesville Mudhens each claimed impressive state championship trophies in 2024, Miesville as the champions of Class B, and Waconia as the champions of Class C. With the reintroduction of Class A in 2025, along with a reconfigured criteria points system, both teams moved up from their previous classifications — the Mudhens rather predictably into the new top tier of competitors, with the Lakers being promoted all the way from Class C to Class A on account of the updated point system, and to the surprise of many traditional townball followers.
After earning a win over perennial Class A powerhouse Minnetonka in the first round of the 2025 tournament, the Lakers faced a second-round clash between the two defending champs that seemed to appear in the brackets by design, with Miesville waiting in the wings with a round-one bye after earning the top seed out of Section 1.
The Mudhens enter their championship defense as a team known and feared for their offense, winning their 2024 title with multiple victories by 10-run mercy rule, including crushing 2023 champions Air Freight Unlimited in a 12-1 in a seven-inning game that was never close. Waconia, on the other hand, rode the golden arm of lefty ace John Bezdicek, who earned the Class C tournament MVP after an unbelievable run through the brackets that saw him win three games, allowing only four total hits and striking out 45 batters, including a no-hitter against Montgomery and a 17-strikeout one-hitter in the state championship game.
With the stage set for the classic “immovable object vs. irresistible force” matchup, the contest began in anticipated fashion, with Miesville turning a double play to end a Waconia threat in the top of the first and Bezdicek striking out the side after leadoff hitter Alex Hendrickson worked a leadoff walk on eight pitches.
The Mudhens broke the game open in the bottom of the second when Evan Nelson and Ronnie Sweeny hit back-to-back solo homeruns to start the inning. After retiring the next batter, a seemingly rattled Bezdicek then hit veteran Hens Deryk Marks and Matt Van Der Bosch with pitches before escaping the inning.
Waconia had opportunities to get on the board throughout the game, loading the bases in the fourth and fifth innings, but Miesville starter Blake Ritzer wiggled out of both jams unscathed. The Lakers would leave multiple runners on base in four innings, unable to solve Ritzer, or bullpen arms Riley Ahern and Brody Illa.
Adding insurance runs in the fifth and seventh innings, Miesville pushed the score to 5-0 (which would be the final outcome), chasing Bezdicek after 6 ⅓. He finished the game with 10 strikeouts despite surrendering five earned runs on seven hits.
Sweeny led the Mudhens with three hits, with Nelson and Joey Werner each adding a pair. The Lakers got singles from five different players.
Miesville advances to face the winner of Forest Lake and Saint Anthony on Friday, Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in Glencoe.
