HUTCHINSON — The Bird Island Bullfrogs have made the state tournament seven consecutive years and Mike Nagel, who has managed the Bulldogs through that run, believes this might be their best team.
Nagel exuded confidence when talking about his team’s chances in the 102nd annual Minnesota Baseball Association Tournament.
“Our lineup this year — one through nine — is the best of any of them (the previous seven state teams),” Nagel said. “We’re a little older and we’ve got everyone ready to go.”
Bird Island’s Jordan Sagedahl celebrates with his teammates after hitting a home run in the first inning of a Corn Belt League game against Raymond on Sunday, June 8, 2025 at Lions Memorial Park in Bird Island.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
Bird Island plays the Prior Lake Mudcats at 4 p.m. Saturday in Hutchinson in the first round of the 24-team Class B tournament.
“I don’t think anybody expected them to come through,” Nagel said. “But they play in a tough league (the Dakota-Rice-Scott). When you’re talking about the DRS, that’s as good as it gets.”
There are eight first-round games this weekend, including the Raymond Rockets’ game 4 p.m. Saturday in Gaylord against the Webster Sox. The eight region champions have first-round byes and play next weekend in the three-weekend, single-elimination tournament. The championship game is 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1 at Hutchinson.
Prior Lake comes into the tournament as the third seed from Region 3B. The Mudcats, who were 8-12 in the DRS during the regular season, finished ahead of fourth-seeded Union Hill and behind No. 2 Webster and No. 1 Jordan in the region. Jordan is one the favorites.
Prior Lake is 10-15 overall. The Mudcats have four current college players, including Cole Clausen (University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire), Lance Behrens (Northern State of Aberdeen, South Dakota), Nick Albee (Augsburg) and Ryan Watermann (Minnesota-Duluth). All are 21 years old, except for Watermann, who is 22.
Prior Lake’s draft pitcks are James Fuerniss of the New Prague Orioles and Riston Wojcik of the Eagle Lake Expos. Fuerniss is a 28-year-old right-hander who played for the College of St. Scholastica. Wojcik, 20, is a right-hander who plays for Bethany Lutheran College.
Bird Island’s Zeke Walton swings at a pitch during a Corn Belt League game against Raymond on Sunday, June 8, 2025 at Lions Memorial Park in Bird Island.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
Bird Island indeed has a deep lineup. The Bulldogs’ top hitters have been James Woelfel (.489 in Corn Belt play), Braeden Tersteeg (.455), Trent Athmann (.341), Dylan Gass (.333), Nic Taylor (.313) and Jordan Sagedahl (.288).
Sagedahl, who’ll likely start at shortstop Sunday, has limited at-bats because he is working on his master’s degree at South Dakota State, where he played. He generally only hit when he pitched during the regular season.
Tersteeg, the Bullfrogs’ lead-off hitter, stole 17 of 18 bases to lead the Corn Belt.
Bird Island shortstop Dylan Gass, back, gets the force out on Raymond’s Eli Nelson, 12, and throws to first for a double play attempt during a Corn Belt League game on Sunday, June 8, 2025 at Lions Memorial Park in Bird Island.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
Nagel said that Aidan Elfering will start against Prior Lake. He’s a right-hander who pitched for the University of Dubuque and the Waterloo Bucks of the Northwoods League this year.
“Our best lineup is with Aidan pitching and he’ll be back,” Nagel said. “It allows us to put Sagedahl at short.”
Sagedahl (0.86 earned run average in 21 innings), Gass (2.82 ERA, 51 IP), Zeke Walton (0.92, 19-2/3 IP) and Casey Lewandowski are all available, as are draft picks Ethan Beyer and Derek Shoen of the Luverne Redbirds. Beyer, 22, pitched at Concordia College in Moorhead. Shoen, 25, pitched at the University of Mary.
Bird Island pitcher Jordan Sagedahl lines up a pitch during a Corn Belt League game against Raymond on Sunday, June 8, 2025 at Lions Memorial Park in Bird Island.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
Lewandowski is back after suffering a broken leg at the beginning of the season when he was hit by a batted ball against New Ulm.
Nagel says his squad is ready.
“Our guys don’t care who they play,” Nagel said., “We’re used to being the small team (population wise) in Class B. We welcome it.
“We want to play the best.”
First-round pairings in the state amateur baseball tournament:
Games Saturday
* Webster Sox vs. Raymond Rockets, 4 p.m. at Gaylord
* Cold Spring Springers vs. Union Hill Bulldogs, 6:30 p.m. at Gaylord
Games Sunday
* Bird Island Bullfrogs vs. Prior Lake Mudcats, 4 p.m. at Hutchinson
* Northfield Knights vs. Delano Athletics, 11 a.m. at Brownton
* Ada A’s vs. Maple Lake Lakers, 4 p.m. at Gaylord
* Nisswa Lightning vs. Kimball Express, 11 a.m. at Gaylord
* Watkins Clippers vs. Foley Lumberjacks, 1:30 p.m. at Gaylord
* Plato Blue Jays vs. Princeton Panthers, 1:30 p.m. at Brownton
First-round pairings in the state amateur baseball tournament:
Game Friday
* Luxemburg Brewers vs. Pierz Brewers, 7:30 p.m. at Hutchinson
* Paynesville Pirates vs. Lamberton Long Sox, 7:30 p.m. at Gaylord
* Howard Lake Orphans vs. Brownton Bruins, 7:30 p.m. at Brownton
Games Saturday
* Farming Flames vs. Milroy Irish, 4 p.m. at Hutchinson
* Hanska Lakers vs. Hawley Hawks, 1:30 p.m. at Brownton
* Le Sueur Braves vs. Urbank Bombers, 11 a.m. at Brownton
* Randall Cubs vs. Leavenworth Orioles, 11 a.m. at Gaylord
* Dumont Saints vs. Regal Eagles, 11 a.m. at Hutchinson
* Glencoe Brewers vs. Morris Eagles, 4 p.m. at Glencoe
* Roseau Royals vs. Cannon Falls Bears, 1:30 p.m. at Gaylord
* Pierz Lakers vs. Mora Blue Devils, 6:30 p.m. at Brownton
* Windom Pirates vs. Elrosa Saints, 1:30 p.m. at Hutchinson
Games Sunday
* Quamba Cubs vs. Cologne Hollanders, 4 p.m. at Brownton
* Waterville Indians vs. Litchfield Blues, 11 a.m. at Hutchinson
* Courtland Cubs vs. Pine Island Pioneers, 1:30 p.m. at Hutchinson