HUTCHINSON — After an impressive opening-round victory, the Bird Island Bullfrogs head into the belly of the beast for second weekend of the Class B tournament.
Bird Island plays host Hutchinson at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Veterans Memorial Park in the 102nd Annual Minnesota Baseball Association state tournament.
“It’ll be on short rest, but I’m looking forward to it,” said Bird Island’s Aidan Elfering, the ace right-hander who is expected to start against the Huskies. “I’m sure it’ll be a good crowd.”
Count on it.
Also in Class B, the Raymond Rockets play the St. Stephen Steves at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Hutchinson.
In Class C at Brownton, the Paynesville Pirates face the Glencoe Brewers at 11 a.m. Saturday and the Regal Eagles play the Waterville Indians at 1:30 p.m.
Bird Island comes off a 3-0 victory Sunday over the Prior Lake Mudcats. Elfering struck out 16 and walked one, allowing two hits. One was an opposite-field blooper to right with one out in the fourth inning. The other was an infield hit to third with one out in the ninth.
“I got pretty amped up to throw in the first round,” Elfering said.
Hutchinson is one of the tournament favorites. The Huskies had a first-round bye and have good fan support. Helping generate even more interest is what is at stake Friday, an opportunity to advance to the state tournament’s final weekend.
Bird Island’s Dylan Gass swings at a pitch during a first-round game of the Class B state amateur baseball playoffs against Prior Lake on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 at Veterans Memorial Park in Hutchinson.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
Hutchinson went 12-4 in North Star League play and have the top two hitters in the league this season: Matt Piechowski and Kyle Schumann. Piechowski won the North Star batting title, batting .491. He went 28-for-57 with 18 runs. His season average in 24 games and 92 at-bats was .500 with 11 doubles, a triple and 20 RBIs. Piechowski, 27, played collegiate at St. Mary’s University of Winona.
Schuman, 20, batting .465, going 20-for-43 with 11 runs in league play. He batted .373 in 756 at-bats with 16 RBIs overall.
The Hutchinson lineup is loaded. Other top hitters include: Jayden Fleck (.372, 4 home runs, 20 RBIs), Tyler Schiller (.368, 1 HR, 20 RBI), Jake Wendland (.367, 7 HR, 39 RBI), Lane Glasser (.366, 20 RBI) and Cody Arlt (.308, 11 RBI).
Carter Kurth has the most innings on the pitching staff. The 19-year-old left-hander has throw 48-2/3 innings with 55 strikeouts and 35 walks. He has a 3-2 record and 3.14 earned-run average.
Bird Island’s Jordan Sagedahl steps into the batter’s box during a first-round game of the Class B state amateur baseball playoffs against Prior Lake on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 at Veterans Memorial Park in Hutchinson.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
Jon DeRock, a 38-year-old right-hander, has tossed 47 innings. He has 30 strikeout and 14 walks to go with a 7-0 record and 2.30 ERA, including one save.
The Huskies also drafted a pair of St. Marin Martins, right-handers Scott Lieser and Bryan Schlangen. Both pitched at St. Cloud State. Lieser, 35, spent some time in the Milwaukee Brewers organization and is the new head coach at St. John’s University in Collegeville.
Proceeds from this year’s Fred Roufs Memorial Golf Tournament hosted by the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Association on Aug. 16 are going to help support Taylor Holthaus of Avon.
Holthaus is a former Avon Laker who has a young family with two children. He also has brain cancer.
Bird Island manager Mike Nagel, who is on the MBA’s board of directors as treasurer, said that funds are still being accepted for Holthaus. Contact Nagel via email at mikenagel2020@gmail.com.
Roufs is a former MBA board member who died in 2021.
Here are the last state amateur baseball polls of the season:
* Class B — 1. Jordan Brewers; 2. Bluffton Braves; 3. Cold Spring Springers; 4. Young America Cardinals; 5. Bird Island Bullfrogs; 6. New Ulm Brewers; 7. Hutchinson Huskies; 8. Delano A’s; 9. Sobieski Skis; 10. Watertown Red Devils.
Also receiving votes; Plato Blue Jays, Buckman Billygoats, Webster Sox; Austin Greyhounds, Isanti Redbirds and Raymond Rockets.
* Class C — 1. Courtland Cubs; 2. Glencoe Brewers; 3. Windom Eagles; 4. Waterville Indians; 5. Pierz Lakers; 6. Clearwater River Cats; 7. Le Sueur Braves; 8. Spring Hill Chargers; 9. New York Mills Millers; 10 (tie) Morris Eagles, Cannon Falls Bears, Veseli Warriors.
* Bird Island Bullfrogs at Hutchinson Huskies, 7:30 p.m. Friday
* Delano Athletics at Hinckley Knights, 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Hutchinson
* Raymond Rockets vs. St. Stephen Steves, 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Hutchinson
* Maple Lake Lakers vs. Young America Cardinals, 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Hutchinson
* Cold Spring Springers vs. Red Wing Aces, 11 a.m. Saturday at Hutchinson
* Nisswa Lightning vs. Fergus Falls Hurricanes, 4 p.m. Saturday at Hutchinson
* Foley Lumberjacks vs. Jordan Brewers, 11 a.m. Sunday at Hutchinson
* Princeton Panthers vs. New Ulm Brewers, 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Brownton
* Farming Flames vs. Cologne Hollanders, 7:30 p.m. Friday at Brownton
* Hanska Lakers vs. Pierz Brewers, 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Brownton
* Le Sueur Braves vs. Leavenworth Orioles, 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Brownton
* Regal Eagles vs. Waterville Indians, 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Brownton
* Paynesville Pirates vs. Glencoe Brewers, 11 a.m. Saturday at Brownton
* Roseau Royals vs. Opole Bears, 4 p.m. Saturday at Brownton
* Pierz Lakers vs. Courtland Cubs, 11 a.m. at Brownton
* Howard Lake Orphans vs. Windom Pirates, 4 p.m. at Brownton