By Kip Kovar
SHAKOPEE — The names for the Watertown Red Devils are mostly the same since their last state tournament appearance in 2022. There are just a few more faces. By faces, that doesn’t necessarily mean players on the rosters.
There are new faces along those familiar names that saw the Red Devils snap their state tournament drought with an impressive 6-2 win over the Maple Lake Lakers at Joe Schleper Stadium.
Zach Iten, who enjoyed a big game and was named the Player of The Game, is now a dad of two kids. Watertown manager Jared Duske has seen his boys grow up and are now glued to the edge of their seats for every pitch for the Red Devils. That makes getting back to this tournament even more special after all the adversity they’ve faced over the past few years and even the last few weeks.
“It feels really good,” Duske said. “This team’s been through a lot of adversity over the past three years, but especially the past month. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions, but it felt really good to get a win in the state tournament again.”
Watertown found itself in an early hole as it was Maple Lake doing Maple Lake things early on. With two runners on and two outs, a clutch RBI double down the left-field line from Dan Reilley gave the Lakers a 2-0 lead.
The Red Devils answered back in a big way in the top of the third. Pat Tschida opened the inning with a single, and after Jaren Vogt reached on an error, Chris Olson got Watertown on the board with an RBI double. The Red Devils didn’t stop there. An RBI single from Noah Leuthner evened the game at two, and then it was Zach Iten beating out the back half of a double play to allow the go-ahead run to score and give the Red Devils a 3-2 lead.
Watertown would extend their lead to two in the top of the fifth thanks to an RBI single from Iten, but Maple Lake had its chance to answer back in the bottom of the sixth. Hunter Malachek reached on a walk, and then a catcher’s interference gave the Lakers a pair of baserunners with nobody out. After Andrew Nichols picked up a big strikeout for Watertown, Maple Lake put on a hit-and-run, but a fly out doubled up the runner as the Red Devils got out of the inning without allowing a run.
The Red Devils tagged on two insurance runs in the top of the eighth thanks to a costly error and hold on down the stretch for their first state tournament win since 2022.
“Even with a four-run lead, it was all about getting those last few outs,” Duske said. “It’s cool to see the vets, and it’s also cool to see the younger guys making huge plays,” Duske said. “It’s awesome to see that and our fan base that shows up. It’s a big Red Devils family”
Tschida picked up the win on the mound for Watertown with five strong innings. After allowing two runs in the first, he allowed no runs over the next four innings while holding Maple Lake to five hits and striking out four.
Nichols sealed the win for the Red Devils with four shutout innings of relief. He allowed just two hits and struck out five himself as he continued to provide big innings on the mound for Watertown just like he did in the District 7B Tournament.
“He’s been huge,” Duske said about Nichols. “He can play anywhere, and he’s ready to go any time. He’s got the stats to back it up and throws well. When we say play center field, he’s out there right away. He’s one of those names that people might (not know) and then all of a sudden he gets on the mound and delivers. He’s got the experience. He’s a college pitcher. He’s a dog.”
Offensively, Watertown had four different players with two or more hits. Olson finished his day going 3-for-5 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored. Tschida, Leuthner, and Iten all added two hits apiece.
For Maple Lake, Nathan Zander led the way in the loss with three of the team’s seven hits. Reilley drove in both of their runs while Malachek and Donnie Mavencamp each had one hit apiece.
With the win, Watertown will take on Sauk Rapids in the second round of the Class B State Tournament Saturday, Aug. 29 in Shakopee at 1:30 p.m. The Cyclones are the District 1B champions.
