Ethan Bell pitches against the A’s.
By LUCAS DITTMER
lucas.dittmer@apgsomn.com
The bracket for the American Legion substate tournament was set, with Owatonna Legion Post 77 getting the No. 3 seed while the Rochester (Century) A’s getting No. 5. The two teams ended the regular season with one final game on Thursday night in Owatonna that was a non-league contest.
The A’s beat the Huskies 9-6 earlier in the season on Thursday, June 18 in Rochester, with it going towards the league standings. Owatonna ended the regular season 7-3 in league games while Rochester finished 6-4. Byron also had a 7-3 league record but received the No. 4 seed due to Owatonna beating them on Monday 10-5. The Rochester (Mayo) Redhawks received the No. 1 seed while Winona received the No. 2 seed. Both teams had an 8-2 league record.
This week’s game between Owatonna and the A’s did not go towards the standings and seedings. The two teams competed and got another game in before they both start the playoffs on Sunday.
Rochester started the game by scoring three runs right away in the top of the first and added two more in the second. Owatonna went scoreless in the first two innings before they made it a two-run game in the bottom of the third at 5-3.
Owatonna started the bottom of the third with back-to-back strikeouts before Jaxson Gautier walked and AJ Avalos recorded a single in the bottom of the order. Aedan Tackmann then made it a very different game with a three-run home run over the left field fence, cutting the deficit to just two from five.
Owatonna Post 77 players embrace Aedan Tackmann after he hit a 3-run home run against the Rochester A’s on Thursday night at home.
By LUCAS DITTMER
lucas.dittmer@apgsomn.com
Post 77 was not done in the inning as they continued the two-out rally with a walk by AJ Ulrich and a hit by pitch to Jace Ulrich. A fielder’s choice groundout then ended the inning.
Rochester continued to pule on the runs in the top of the fourth to get back a comfortable lead. The first run of the inning came from an RBI double before a bases clearing, three-run double took place to make it a 9-3 game. The A’s scored another run on an error.
Rochester scored two more runs in the top of the fifth and the Huskies were down to their final three outs due to the game lasting only five innings. Post 77 got themselves into two quick outs before they had four straight hitters reach base safely. Avalos walked and Aedan Tackmann was hit by a pitch before AJ Ulrich hit an RBI single to score Avalos. Jace Ulrich then walked before a line out ended the game.
The loss broke Owatonna’s win streak of five wins, as they will now look to start a new one in the playoffs. They will host the winner of either No. 6 Austin or No. 11 Rochester (John Marshall) Patriots on Sunday night at 6 p.m. at Dartts Park.
Wyatt Frantesl gets set to catch the ball in right field.
By LUCAS DITTMER
lucas.dittmer@apgsomn.com
Reach Reporter Lucas Dittmer at 507-444-2375. © Copyright 2026 Adams MultiMedia of Southern Minnesota. All rights reserved.