NDSU Volleyball Announces 2014 Schedule

FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State University volleyball team announced a 31-match schedule for the 2014 season that will feature four non-conference tournaments on the road, nine home matches, and a return to a 16-match Summit League slate.

“After our strong finish in Summit League play last season, we are looking to continue that momentum into preseason of this year,” said NDSU head coach Kari Thompson, who enters her fourth year at the helm of the Bison program. “It will be important for us to be comfortable and competitive on the road, and our non-conference schedule will prepare us for that.”

The Bison will open the season with three matches at defending Horizon League champion Milwaukee’s Panther Invitational on Aug. 29-30. NDSU will also play non-conference weekend tournaments hosted by New Mexico State, Bradley and Towson. Two other non-league games will be played – a home opener against North Dakota on Sept. 9 and a match at Valparaiso on Oct. 19.

With the return of Oral Roberts to The Summit League for the 2014-15 academic year, all Summit League teams will now play 16 conference matches. After opening the season with 14 of their first 15 matches away from Fargo, the Bison will close the regular season with six of their final eight matches at home in the historic Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.

In all, NDSU is scheduled to face five schools that appeared in the 2013 NCAA Volleyball Tournament, with three of those coming Sept. 4-5 in Las Cruces, N.M., in the form of New Mexico State, Radford and California.

“We will see a variety of styles of play and will face some strong successful programs that will challenge us,” said Thompson. “I’m looking forward to what this fall will bring for our maturing team.”

IUPUI will host the Summit League Tournament in Indianapolis on Nov. 21-23 after winning the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament last season.

U of M “M” Club Announces 2014 Hall of Fame Class

The University of Minnesota “M” Club, one of the nation’s oldest varsity letterwinner organizations, today announced the latest class of inductees into the club’s Hall of Fame. This year’s class will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame at a ceremony in the DQ Club Room at TCF Bank Stadium on October 9 starting at 6 p.m.

“Everyone who earns a coveted ‘M’ as a varsity letterwinner at Minnesota has accomplished something exceptional,” said George Adzick, director of the “M” Club. “Those who are being inducted into the ‘M’ Club Hall of Fame this year are joining an extraordinary group, those whose achievements surpassed exceptional and became an integral part of the history of Gopher Athletics.”

With the addition of 13 new inductees in this year’s class, the “M” Club Hall of Fame now has 319 members representing student-athletes from 27 different varsity sports, as well as coaches and administrators.

This year’s class includes:

·         Laura Halldorson (Women’s Hockey Head Coach) – three-time National Champion and three-time National Coach of the Year

·         Quincy Lewis (Men’s Basketball) – All-American, Big Ten scoring champion, top six all-time in program history for points and steals

·         Pat Micheletti (Men’s Hockey) – All-American, second all-time in program history for goals and points, third all-time in assists

·         Tanya Schuh (Women’s Swimming) – Nine-time All-American, six-time Big Ten champion, Big Ten Athlete of the Year (1996)

·         Bernie Zeruhn (Men’s Swimming) – Second-most decorated swimmer in Minnesota history, 17-time All-American, three-time Big Ten individual champion

·         Bill Light (Football) – Two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection, graduated as program’s all-time leading tackler, still holds single-game and single-season tackle records

·         Keita Cline (Men’s Track and Field) – Five-time Big Ten champion, two-time All-American and two-time Olympian

·         Kari Blank (Softball) – First softball player in school history to be named three-time All-Big Ten, co-Big Ten Player of the Year (1991)

·         George Tuck (Men’s Basketball) – First All-American basketball player at Minnesota, led team to 29 consecutive victories to begin his career

·         Frank McCormick (Baseball Head Coach, Director of Athletics) – Led baseball team to a pair of Big Ten titles as head coach while also serving as director of athletics, left Minnesota to serve in World War II and returned following the war

·         Bob Hanning (Men’s Gymnastics) – Two-time All-American, Minnesota’s first-ever NCAA Champion gymnast (parallel bars)

·         Jim Hill (Men’s Swimming) – Two-time NCAA Champion, including both an individual championship (150 backstroke) and a relay championship (300 medley relay)

·         Ken Haycraft (Football) – All-American, two-time All-Big Ten, member of 1927 Big Ten Championship team

Each year, the “M” Club assembles a committee of experts to review the accomplishments of letterwinners through the history of Gopher Athletics. This committee, along with former and current coaches, student-athletes and athletics department staff, vote to determine the next class of “M” Club Hall of Fame inductees.

Below are biographical summaries for each inductee in the “M” Club Hall of Fame Class of 2014.

Laura Halldorson (Women’s Hockey Head Coach, 1997-2007) – Halldorson was the first coach in the history of Minnesota’s varsity women’s hockey program. Her team captured the first women’s team national title for Minnesota in any sport in 2000, winning the AWCHA National Championship. It would be the first of three national titles for Halldorson’s Gophers. During her 10 years as head coach, the team won nearly 80 percent of its games and reached the NCAA Frozen Four eight times. For her efforts, Halldorson was recognized as the National Coach of the Year three times.

Quincy Lewis (Men’s Basketball, 1995-99) – Lewis was a standout performer for the Gopher men’s basketball team in the late 1990s, punctuating an outstanding career in 1998-99 by leading the Big Ten in scoring (23.1 points per game) and earning both First Team All-Big Ten and Third Team All-America honors. Lewis finished his career in Maroon and Gold sixth on the program’s all-time scoring list and fourth all-time in steals and was chosen in the first round of the 1999 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. He played a 10-year professional career, including four seasons in the NBA.

Pat Micheletti (Men’s Hockey, 1983-86) – Micheletti was one of the greatest scorers in the history of Gopher men’s hockey. He ranks second all-time in goals (120) and points (269), trailing only the great John Mayasich in the record books. Micheletti is also third all-time in assists (149). His 96 points in 1984-85 were the second-highest single-season total in program history and earned him a collection of accolades, including First Team All-WCHA, First Team All-America and a spot as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.

Tanya Schuh (Women’s Swimming, 1994-97) – Schuh was a six-time Big Ten champion, capturing titles in multiple events, including the 100 and 200 butterfly. In 1996, Schuh was not only named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year, she was named Big Ten Athlete of the Year. The nine-time All-American set school records in both the 100 and 200 butterfly, as well as a Big Ten record in the 100. In addition to her accomplishments at the U, Schuh also competed on the Brazilian National Team for five years.

Bernie Zeruhn (Men’s Swimming, 1993-96) – Zeruhn earned 17 All-America honors in his career, the second-most for any swimmer in Minnesota history. He set school records in the 200, 500 and 1,000 freestyle, as well as the 200 fly. He captured three Big Ten individual titles in 1996, winning the 200 and 500 freestyle and the 200 butterfly. While conquering competition in the pool that year, Zeruhn also earned Academic All-American status.

Bill Light (Football, 1969-71) – Light was the Gophers’ all-time leading tackler when he graduated. Presently third on the all-time list, Light will forever hold the record for most tackles in the three-year eligibility era. His 32 tackles in a game and 172 in a season both remain the most all-time in Gopher history. Light was a First Team All-Big Ten selection at linebacker in both 1970 and 1971 and served as team captain his senior season.

Keita Cline (Men’s Track and Field, 1992-95) – Cline was an exceptional long-jumper and triple-jumper, winning five Big Ten championships in those events. As a senior in 1995, Cline won both the Big Ten indoor and outdoor long jump title as well as the indoor triple jump, his third championship in the event in four years. Cline was a two-time All-American at Minnesota before competing for the British Virgin Islands at both the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics.

Kari Blank (Softball, 1988-92) – Blank became the first player in Minnesota softball history to be named All-Big Ten three times, which included First Team All-Big Ten honors in both 1991 and 1992. Her banner season came in 1991, when she was named team MVP and an All-American for her contributions to the 1991 Big Ten Championship team. That season, Blank became one of just two players in the program’s history to be named conference player of the year when she earned co-Big Ten Player of the Year recognition.

George Tuck (Men’s Basketball, 1902-05) – After a standout career at Minneapolis Central High School, Tuck became the first star of Gopher Men’s Basketball. In 1905, Tuck was named an All-American, the first in the history of the Minnesota program and, along with Chris Steinmetz of Wisconsin, the first in the history of the Big Ten. The Gophers won the first 29 games of Tuck’s collegiate career, ultimately compiling a 45-9-1 mark during his time with the team.

Frank McCormick (Baseball Head Coach, Director of Athletics) – McCormick may be best known for his leadership of the athletics department from 1932-41 and from 1945-50, but he was also an assistant football coach and the head baseball coach for the Gophers from 1930-41, leading the baseball team to the 1933 and 1935 Big Ten titles. His accomplishments as a coach earned him a spot in the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In addition to his service to the University in multiple key roles, McCormick also served his nation in World War II, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Following the war, McCormick returned to the U of M and his position as director of athletics.

Bob Hanning (Men’s Gymnastics, 1938-40) – Hanning won both the Big Ten and NCAA Parallel Bars championships in 1940, making him the first Gopher gymnast to ever capture a national title. His performance at the NCAA Championships capped his second consecutive All-American season.

Jim Hill (Men’s Swimming, 1925-27) – After finishing the 1925 season as the NCAA runner-up in the 150 backstroke, Hill rebounded and captured the NCAA Championship in the event in 1926. In addition to his individual accomplishments, Hill also played a key role on the 300 medley relay team that won the NCAA Championship for Minnesota in 1927, meaning that Hill placed in the top-two in at least one event at every NCAA meet in which he competed during his college career.

Ken Haycraft (Football, 1926-28) – Haycraft established himself as a dominate end in 1927, when he earned First Team All-Big Ten status as part of the Gophers’ Big Ten Championship team. He followed that campaign by earning First Team All-Big Ten honors again and also being named a First Team All-American. After his collegiate career, Haycraft played professionally for the Green Bay Packers and won an NFL Championship in 1930.

UMC Name Gust Head Baseball Coach

CROOKSTON, Minn.-University of Minnesota Crookston Director of Athletics Stephanie Helgeson announced the addition of Steve Gust as head baseball coach for the Golden Eagles. A native of East Grand Forks, Minn., Gust is no stranger to the region having coached at the University of North Dakota and Sacred Heart H.S., prior to helping to turn around the program at Northland Community and Technical College. Gust spent the past six seasons as the head coach at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, S.D.

“We are excited to add Steve Gust to the UMC athletic department as head baseball coach,” Helgeson said. “He brings to UMC an incredible amount of experience as a head baseball coach at Northland Community and Technical College and Dakota Wesleyan College. In addtion, as an East Grand Forks native, he is familiar with the recruiting territory and has had tremendous success bring in talented players from Northwest Minnesota and the surrounding area to his previous institutions.”

Gust has accumulated over 150 wins in his six seasons. His time at Dakota Wesleyan was highlighted by his first two seasons at the helm in which he posted records of 35-18 and 32-21. His 2009 squad was crowned Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Tournament Champions and earned a chance to play in the NAIA National Tournament. Four of his six squads at Dakota Wesleyan placed in the top four in the GPAC.

In 2014, Gust led Dakota Wesleyan to a 27-24 mark. The Tigers battled several NSIC teams on the season, falling just short in three games against Minot State University and Northern State University. His 2014 team was highlighted by All-GPAC First Team pitcher Kyle Larson, a Red Lake Falls, Minn., native. Gust has found much success with players from Northwest Minnesota, including Larson and 2013 GPAC Player of the Year Michael Lukasson from East Grand Forks, Minn and 2012 GPAC Pitcher of the Year Ethan Opsahl from Twin Valley, Minn.

Gust’s teams also found success off the field, as his 2014 team maintained a 3.03 Grade Point Average (GPA) during the 2013-14 academic year.

In six seasons at Dakota Wesleyan, Gust coached 47 All-GPAC selections, three GPAC Gold Glove winners, one GPAC Pitcher of the Year, one GPAC Player of the Year, two All-Americans and 11 NAIA Scholar-Athletes.

Prior to arriving at Dakota Wesleyan, Gust spent four seasons as the head coach at Northland Community and Technical College. Gust left the school as one of the most successful coaches in program history. His Pioneers’ teams went 92-75 over four seasons, and Gust earned Minnesota Community College Conference North Division Coach-of-the-Year honors in 2005. NCTC qualified for the MCCC State Tournament all four seasons.

In his final season at NCTC, Gust led the Pioneers to a school record 27 wins and a second-place finish at the State Tournament. His squad also advanced to the NJCAA Region 13 Tournament in 2008, where they finished third. Gust also spent his summers coaching the East Grand Forks American Legion baseball team and amassed 466 total victories.

Prior to taking over Northland Community and Technical College, Gust spent a season as a volunteer assistant at his alma mater, the University of North Dakota. Before making the transition to college baseball, Gust served as the head coach at Sacred Heart H.S. in East Grand Forks, N.D. He was named Coach of the Year three times during his time at Sacred Heart, while amassing 132 wins.

In 2010, Gust spent the summer as an assistant coach for the Mankato Moondogs, who are a part of the Northwoods League – one of the top collegiate leagues in North America. He helped coach seven players who went on to sign pro contracts.

In 2012, Gust was chosen as a head coach for the U.S. Baseball Championships North vs. South All-Star Game in Virginia. The game, which featured high school baseball players ages 17 and under from around the United States, was nationally televised.

Gust graduated from UND in 1993 with a degree in physical education and coaching. In 2010, he graduated with a master’s degree and education policy and administration from Dakota Wesleyan. He is married to Anita and has three sons, Trenton, Jaeden and Tommy John.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

MN State Baseball Tournament Preview

In the 15th year of a three-class format, all three 2013 champions return to defend their titles. BOLD of Olivia is looking for its second consecutive title in Class A. Kasson-Mantorville is seeking its second consecutive title in Class AA. Mounds View returns in search of a second consecutive championship in Class AAA.

Five teams qualified for the first time this year: New Life Academy of Woodbury in Class A; The Blake School of Minneapolis and Aitkin in Class AA; and Lakeville South and Mahtomedi in Class AAA.

This is the second year that the tournament has been seeded. The eight coaches of the section champions logged onto a special page of the League Web site and each coach ranked the other teams one through seven. The highest and lowest rankings for each team were discarded, leaving five rankings for each team. From those rankings, the teams were seeded one through five. In conference calls with all eight head coaches, League Associate Director Kevin Merkle announced the top five seeds. A representative of the coaches association conducted a blind draw to determine the opponents for the top three seeds. Seeds four and five are automatically paired without a draw.

The six teams that advance to title games will compete at Target Field in Minneapolis on Saturday, June 14. All three games will be webcast live by GrandStadium on Prep45.com for a fee of $4.97 for the day. The Class A title game will begin at noon, followed by the Class AA championship game at 3 p.m., and the Class AAA title game at 6 p.m.

The initial rounds of the tournament will be played Thursday and Friday, June 12 and 13, at locations across the state. Class A quarterfinals, championship semifinals and third-place game will be played at Chaska Athletic Park, and consolation semifinals and consolation championship will be played at the Mini Met in Jordan. The Class AA quarterfinals, championship semifinals and third-place game will be played at Dick Putz Field, and consolation semifinals and consolation championship will be played at the adjacent Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud. The Class AAA quarterfinals, championship semifinals and third-place game will be played at Midway Stadium in St. Paul, and consolation semifinals and consolation championship will be played at Dick Siebert Field on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis.

Detailed statistics provided by most qualified teams are available on the League’s Web site — www.MSHSL.org — as a Media Guide link under Tournaments > Spring > Baseball.

            Class A Highlights

            (Section 8) Red Lake County (20-5) vs. (No. 1 Seed - Section 2) BOLD, Olivia (21-3) — 10:00 a.m. June 12 at Chaska Athletic Park. Red Lake County, which includes students from Red Lake Falls and Red Lake County Central of Oklee, returns after a two-year absence to make its fourth appearance under this name. Red Lake Falls made a solo appearance in 1982 and Red Lake County made one in 1994. The Eagles scored 156 runs on 175 hits and the team bats .272. Senior Zack Landman leads Red Lake County with a .348 average and he has 12 RBI on 29 hits. Senior Lars Brevik is the top pitcher for the Eagles. He went 8-1 this season and has a 1.05 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 60 innings. Brevik also added 22 RBI on 21 hits and has a .350 batting average. The defending champions from BOLD return for their third consecutive and overall appearance. The Warriors have outscored opponents 213-55 and have a team batting average of .321. They have also stolen 108 bases. Senior pitcher Logan Sandgren went 9-0 this year and has gone 15-0 over the past two years with four no-hitters and one perfect game. This year, he tallied 95 strikeouts in 56 innings and has an ERA of 0.63. Junior Trent Athmann wields the heaviest bat for the Warriors. He has a .418 average and drove in 18 runs on 28 hits. Athmann set a school record by scoring 40 runs this season and he has 61 stolen bases in 62 attempts over the past two years. Senior Trevor Nissen, who bats .338 and had a team-leading 30 RBI this year, will play football at Mankato State University next year.

            (No. 5 Seed – Section 3) Springfield (21-2) vs. (No. 4 Seed – Section 4) New Life Academy of Woodbury (22-4) — 12:30 p.m. June 12 at Chaska Athletic Park. The Tigers of Springfield are making their eighth appearance but first since 1984. They hit .310 as a team and scored 191 runs and held opponents to just 63. Senior pitcher Cooper Scheffler went 5-1 during the regular season and has an ERA of 2.56. He tossed 45 strikeouts in 38 innings and also contributed 27 RBI on 36 hits. Scheffler has the team’s highest batting average of .474 and also had 37 stolen bases this year. Senior pitcher Dylan Wersal compiled a season record of 6-0 and threw 24 strikeouts with an ERA of 0.74. The Eagles of New Life Academy of Woodbury are making their first tournament appearance. They scored 261 runs and are hitting .356 as a team while holding opponents to 79 runs and a .228 batting average. Senior John Horner has the team’s highest batting average of .462 on 42 hits. He also boasts 50 RBI coming into the tournament. Horner is also 5-1 on the mound with a 1.79 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched. Horner’s younger brother, junior Sam, bats .447 and contributed 25 RBI on 38 hits. Sam also tallied 19 doubles this season.

            (Section 5) Royalton (12-10) vs. (No. 3 Seed – Section 1) Chatfield (21-3) — 3:00 p.m. June 12 at Chaska Athletic Park. The Royals of Royalton return for their fourth appearance, but first since 2007. Royalton starts three ninth-graders and the Royals scored 143 runs on 155 hits this year. They hit .279 as a team. The Royals have two strong pitchers: sophomore Parker Brezinka and ninth-grader Nathan Psyck. Brezinka has a 2.23 ERA and threw 41 strikeouts in 62 innings. Psyck tossed 41 strikeouts over 49 innings and has an ERA of 4.43. Psyck also bats .348 and drove in 26 RBI on 23 hits. He also hit a team-leading three home runs. Cade Stand, a senior, bats .507 for Royalton and tallied 34 RBI on 16 hits this year. The Gophers of Chatfield are making their sixth appearance, but first since 2006. This year’s squad hits .299 and tallied 126 RBI on 194 hits. Senior Jake Neis, who has not struck out this year, bats .456 for Chatfield and had 19 RBI on 36 hits. He also went 4-2 on the mound with 34 strikeouts in 49 innings. His ERA is 1.00. Junior pitcher Tommy Jech went 6-0 on this year and has a 0.54 ERA with eight strikeouts in 38 innings. Junior Ethan Woltz tallied 18 RBI on 29 hits for the Gophers and has a .408 average.

                (Section 7) Ely (21-2) vs. (No. 2 Seed – Section 6) New York Mills (23-0) — 5:30 p.m. June 12 at Chaska Athletic Park. The Timberwolves of Ely return after a one-year absence to make their fourth appearance. They hit .181 as a team and scored 186 runs while holding opponents to 45. The Timberwolves’ top two pitchers are seniors Will Gustafson and Louis Gerzin. Gustafson compiled a season record of 7-1 with 56 strikeouts in 48 innings and an ERA of 1.31. Gerzin went 5-1, threw 67 strikeouts in 40 innings, and has an ERA of 1.58. He also bats .414 and contributed 20 RBI on 24 hits. Sophomore Pat Huisman leads the offensive charge for Ely; he bats .483 and drove in 24 RBI on 29 hits. New York Mills, which claimed third-place honors in 2013, is making its fourth consecutive and sixth overall appearance. Seniors Brandon Kupfer and Tyler Patron both had stellar seasons on the mound for the Eagles. Kupfer went 9-0 with 62 strikeouts in 44 innings and Patron went 6-0 with 38 strikeouts in 41 innings. Their respective ERAs are 0.81 and 0.87. Kupfer notched 36 RBI on 41 hits and also has a team-high batting average of .612. Patron added 29 RBI on 34 hits and has an average of .493. New York Mills outscored its opponents 204-31 and bats .391 as a team.

            Class AA Highlights

            (Note: Glencoe-Silver Lake and Delano were the only Class AA teams to meet this season; Glencoe-Silver Lake won that game 9-7. The Panthers and Tigers will meet for the second time this season in the quarterfinals.)

           (Section 4) The Blake School, Minneapolis (19-6) vs. (No. 1 Seed - Section 6) St. Cloud Cathedral (24-1) — 10:00 a.m. June 12 at Dick Putz Field, St. Cloud. The Bears of The Blake School are making their debut tournament appearance. The school did not provide team or individual statistics. The Crusaders of St. Cloud Cathedral are hoping to improve on last year’s third-place showing. They are making their fourth consecutive and 18th overall appearance. If they win it would be their eighth title; they won previously in 1977, 1980, 1988, 2001, 2003, 2007, and 2011. Senior pitcher Jeff Fasching went 8-0 on the mound for Cathedral, throwing 79 strikeouts in 59 innings with a 0.36 ERA. Fasching also bats .392 and drove in 24 runs on 31 hits. Brindley Theisen, a junior pitcher, compiled a season record of 7-1 with 49 strikeouts in 48 innings. His ERA is 0.59. Theisen also contributed 31 RBI on 28 hits and his ERA is .389. Three seniors will play baseball in college next year: Fasching at the University of Minnesota, Steven Neutzling at St. Scholastica, and Thomas Imholte at University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota. St. Cloud Cathedral’s head coach, Bob Karn, set the all-time wins record at 708 in the section title game against Little Falls.

            (No. 5 Seed – Section 5) Delano (16-9) vs. (No. 4 Seed - Section 2) Glencoe-Silver Lake (17-4) — 12:30 p.m. June 12 at Dick Putz Field, St. Cloud. The Tigers of Delano are making their fifth consecutive and 10th overall appearance. They placed sixth last year. They have scored 198 runs while limiting opponents to 108 and have stolen 41 bases. Senior Toby Hanson has a team-high batting average of .453 and also hit 13 home runs with 31 RBI on 39 hits. Senior Tyler Hannen has the most innings on the mound, 37, is 6-1 with a 2.84 ERA and 32 strikeouts. Senior Hunter Hart threw 46 strikeouts for Delano in 33 innings. His season record is 2-4 and his ERA is 2.97. The Panthers of Glencoe-Silver Lake made their last tournament appearance under this name in 2009 and this is their fourth overall. Glencoe made five additional appearances between 1947 and 1974. The Panthers scored 123 runs while allowing opponents only 65 and bat .289 as a team. Sophomore Teddy Petersen is the offensive leader with his .424 batting average on his 28 hits and 10 RBI. Senior pitcher Cole Petersen is 8-1 in 53 innings with a 0.40 ERA and 91 strikeouts.

            (Section 8) Hawley (18-6) vs. (No. 3 Seed - Section 1) Kasson-Mantorville (21-4) — 3:00 p.m. June 12 at Dick Putz Field, St. Cloud. The Hawley Nuggets are making their third appearance, but first since 2009. The Nuggets hit .318 as a team and they had 144 RBI on 219 hits. They scored 186 runs to their opponents’ 106 and won five consecutive elimination games to reach the tournament. Junior Chad Chute leads the team with his .413 batting average, 31 hits and 19 RBI. Juniors Jordan Harms (7-1) and Parker Hanson (5-2) have seen the most action on the mound. Harms pitched 49 innings with 79 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA, and Hanson went 48 innings with 70 strikeouts and a 2.92 ERA. Hanson added 24 RBI on 27 hits and bats .346. The defending champions from Kasson-Mantorville are making their second consecutive and fourth overall appearance. The KoMets have scored 194 runs and their opponents have been limited to 86. They also hit .330 to their opponents’ .232. Senior Jayden Prigge has a team-high .541 batting average and 32 RBI on 46 hits, including two home runs. Kasson-Mantorville also has two outstanding senior pitchers. Collin Ripley went 8-0 with 25 strikeouts in 44 innings and has a 2.40 ERA. Hayden Sheeran went 5-1 on the mound with 57 strikeouts in 35 innings. His ERA is 2.22.

            (Section 7) Aitkin (22-4) vs. (No. 2 Seed - Section 3) Fairmont (23-1) — 5:30 p.m. June 12 at Dick Putz Field, St. Cloud. The Aitkin Gobblers are making their debut appearance. They outscored their opponents 252-71 this year and have a team batting average of .400. Senior Nathan Ehnstrom has the team’s best batting average of .480 and also went 5-1 on the mound with a 4.28 ERA in 40 innings with 46 strikeouts. Junior Jake Lynn pitched the most innings, 41, and went 4-1. He threw 74 strikeouts and has an ERA of 2.41. The Fairmont Cardinals, who are making their 10th appearance, return to tournament action after a one-year absence. Fairmont hit .360 as a team this season and outscored opponents 209-65. Senior pitcher Luke Becker compiled a season record of 7-0 with 30 strikeouts in 37 innings and has an ERA of 1.89. He also leads the Cardinals with a .542 batting average, 45 hits, 37 RBI, and nine home runs. Junior pitcher Spencer Chirpich bats .393 and went 5-0 on the mound. He threw 33 strikeouts in 36 innings and has an ERA of 0.78.

            Class AAA Highlights

            (Section 8) Brainerd (21-3) vs. (No. 1 Seed - Section 3) Lakeville North (21-4) — 10:00 a.m. June 12 at Midway Stadium, St. Paul. The Brainerd Warriors are making their 13th appearance, but first since 2010. If they win, it would be their third title; they won previously in 1995 and 2000. The Warriors did not face any other tournament qualifiers during the regular season. Brainerd is hitting .331 as a team and the Warriors tallied 185 RBI on 222 hits. Junior Tory Miller is hitting .456 with 21 RBI on 36 hits. He also went 4-1 on the mound with 43 strikeouts over 32 innings and has a 1.28 ERA. Senior Tom Graumann is 7-1 on the mound with the most innings pitched, 48, and has 55 strikeouts and a 2.63 ERA. The Panthers of Lakeville North are making their second consecutive and overall appearance. They took the consolation title in 2013. During the regular season, Lakeville North defeated Lakeville South twice, 10-0 and 7-1. The Panthers scored 170 runs to their opponents’ 54, and they have a team batting average of .337. Senior Dalton Lehnen wields the heaviest bat for Lakeville North; his average is .438 with 29 RBI on 35 hits, including three home runs. Dalton also went 9-3 on the mound with 87 strikeouts in 60 innings and an ERA of 1.50. Senior Nick Dorfman went 9-0 while pitching and tossed 60 strikeouts in 52 innings. Jacobson’s ERA is 0.81. Lehnen will play for the University of Cincinnati next year and Dorfman has signed with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Junior Angelo Altavilla, who hit .400 this year, has verbally committed to the University of Nebraska. He tallied 35 RBI on 32 hits and also hit a team-high four home runs.

            (No. 5 Seed – Section 7) Elk River (17-8) vs. (No. 4 Seed - Section 5) Mounds View (18-6) — 12:30 p.m. June 12 at Midway Stadium, St. Paul. The Elks of Elk River return for their fourth appearance, but first since 2003. During regular-season play, Elk River defeated Robbinsdale Armstrong 11-2 and lost to Eden Prairie 6-0. The Elks hit .271 as a team and outscored their opponents 126-99. Senior Erik Nyquist was the top pitcher for Elk River, going 8-0 with 38 strikeouts in 61 innings and a 1.62 ERA. Nyquist will play for Northwestern College in Roseville next year. Junior Austin Heuer leads the Elks’ offense. He bats .324 and had 12 RBI on 24 hits. The defending champions from Mounds View are making their second consecutive and sixth overall appearance. The Mustangs tallied 126 runs this year and their opponents scored 72 against them. Their team batting average is .287. Senior Sam Hentges pitched 36 innings for the Mustangs, amassing a 6-0 record with 66 strikeouts and a 0.81 ERA. Hentges, a Mr. Baseball finalist, added 17 RBI on 25 hits with three home runs. His batting average is .362. Senior Kellen Rholl pitched 37 innings, went 4-0 with a 1.32 ERA, and struck out 26. Mounds View did not face any other tournament qualifiers this season.

                (Section 6) Robbinsdale Armstrong (14-9) vs. (No. 3 Seed - Section 2) Eden Prairie (18-6) — 3:00 p.m. June 12 at Midway Stadium, St. Paul. The Falcons of Robbinsdale Armstrong are returning to tournament action after a three-year hiatus. This is their fourth appearance overall. The Falcons hit .298 collectively and outscored their opponents 133-103. They have also stolen 42 bases. Sophomore Joshua Thorp hit .444 this year with 32 hits and 12 RBI. Junior pitcher Jordan Kuznia (4-1) pitched 39 innings with 50 strikeouts and a 1.07 ERA. He also bats .300 and contributed 10 RBI on 15 hits with two home runs. Robbinsdale Armstrong lost to Elk River 11-2 during the regular season. The Eagles of Eden Prairie return to the tournament after a one-year absence. They are in the hunt for their third championship, having won previously in 2004 and 2010. During the regular season, the Eagles defeated Elk River 6-0. Eden Prairie scored 118 runs while holding its opponents to 58. The Eagles had 95 RBI on 211 hits and their team batting average is .301. Senior Ryan Zimmerman has a team-leading .393 average on 33 hits and 13 RBI. Zimmerman will play for the University of St. Thomas next year. Seniors Dan Loats and Corey Binger shared the pitching duties this year. Loats went 6-1 with 61 strikeouts in 49 innings with a 1.28 ERA. Binger compiled a 5-1 record with 49 strikeouts in 49 innings and a 1.48 ERA. Binger will play for the University of Nebraska Omaha next year and Loats will play for North Iowa Area Community College.

            (Section 1) Lakeville South (7-18) vs. (No. 2 Seed - Section 4) Mahtomedi (23-1) — 5:30 p.m. June 12 at Midway Stadium, St. Paul. Lakeville South and Mahtomedi are both making their first tournament appearances. The Cougars of Lakeville South lost to Lakeville North twice during the regular season, 10-0 and 7-1. The Cougars scored 80 runs on 147 hits and their opponents tallied 146 runs on 189 hits. The team’s collective batting average is .231. Senior Cory Reiter bats .299 for Lakeville South and tallied a team-leading 23 hits. Mitch Maurer, another senior, went 5-4 on the mound for the Cougars with a 2.91 ERA. He threw 63 strikeouts in 60 innings. The Mahtomedi Zephyrs bat .350 as a team and tallied 199 runs on 220 hits. Senior Sam Richter led Mahtomedi with a .408 average and garnered 13 RBI on 29 hits. Senior pitcher Mike Baumann tossed 73 strikeouts and has a 1.29 ERA. Baumann, who will play for Jacksonville University in Florida next year, also hits .389 and had 30 RBI on 28 hits this season. The Zephyrs did not face any other tournament qualifiers this year.