Connor Wiese fields the ball at 1st base after a liner hit by Austin.
By LUCAS DITTMER
lucas.dittmer@apgsomn.com
The Owatonna Huskies were not able to get their revenge against the Austin Packers in the spring baseball season, with the Packers being the only Big 9 Conference team that Owatonna did not beat at least once in the regular season.
Owatonna once again lost to Austin in the regular season of the American Legion baseball year, but the Huskies were able to get their revenge this time in the District 1 substate playoffs.
Wyatt Frantesl.
By LUCAS DITTMER
lucas.dittmer@apgsomn.com
Owatonna Post 77 hosted Austin Post 91 on Sunday night to open the playoffs for both teams. Neither team scored in the first inning before the Huskies posted eight runs in the bottom of the second and went onto win 11-1.
Entering the summer high school baseball season, Owatonna was coming off of a spring varsity year that saw them win the Big 9 Conference championship. They beat every team in the conference at least once except for one team: the Austin Packers. The Huskies lost 7-3 to the Packers in their first road game of the season and it was the only match-up between the two teams in the spring season.
Owatonna and Austin both had several players who saw significant time on the varsity team continue their high school careers on the legion teams this summer, with Legion baseball having older players in the schools’ programs compete, as it is 18U.
Post 77 started its season with a home loss to the Rochester (Mayo) Redhawks on Thursday, June 4 before beating St. Peter for its first win of the summer on Monday, June 8. They then lost to Austin in their first road match-up of the year on Tuesday, June 9.
Austin took a 3-0 lead after the first inning in the June match-up before Owatonna scored a run in the second and recorded four more in the third. Post 77 held a 5-3 lead into the fifth before Austin scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Post 77 scored a run in the sixth but were unable to score in the top of the seventh to lose 7-6.
But unlike in the spring high school varsity season, with Owatonna and Austin competing in different sections and classes for playoffs, the Huskies had a chance for revenge against Austin in the substate playoffs for legion baseball.
Owatonna received the No. 3 seed in the District 1 playoffs as the defending substate champions and Austin received the No. 6 seed. That had them face off in the first round on Sunday evening in Owatonna. The winner would move on in the winners bracket while the loser would fall to the elimination bracket, as teams have to lose twice to be eliminated from playoff contention following the play-in round. No. 7 Red Wing beat the No. 11 Rochester (John Marshall) Patriots and No. 8 Kasson beat No. 9 Stewartville in the play-in round on Friday.
Jace ulrich pitched 4.2 scoreless innings for Post 77 on Sunday night to open the playoffs.
By LUCAS DITTMER
lucas.dittmer@apgsomn.com
The Packers Post 91 made some noise on offense in the top of the first against Post 77, with them having two runners on base with two outs after a one-out walk and a two-out single. Jace Ulrich, Owatonna’s starting pitcher, got Post 77 out of the jam though as Austin hit into a fly out.
Owatonna also made some noise in the bottom of the first as Jace Ulrich hit a two-out double. A strikeout took place for the third out though to have the game be at no score heading into the second inning.
After Austin was unable to score after hitting a one-out single in the top of the second, Owatonna fired on all cylinders in the bottom half of the inning as seven straight batters reached base safely at one point in the inning.
Arik Tackmann started the half-inning by drawing a walk and after a strikeout, Joe Klecker walked and Zach Bissen was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A fielder’s choice that scored a run then took place for the second out.
Zach Bissen throws to 1st base after a grounder to 2nd base.
By LUCAS DITTMER
lucas.dittmer@apgsomn.com
That’s when Owatonna went to work. Aedan Tackmann hit an RBI single, AJ Ulrich was hit by a pitch, Jace Ulrich hit a two-RBI single, Connor Wiese hit a two-RBI single, Arik Tackmann hit an RBI single, Wyatt Frantesl was hit by a pitch, and Klecker hit an RBI single to make it an 8-0 game. A fly out then ended the inning for Austin, much later than they would have wanted.
Neither team scored in the third, fourth, or fifth innings before they both scored in the sixth. Austin got on the board with a run in the top of the inning before Owatonna scored three in the bottom half to end the game via the ten-run mercy rule.
Jace Ulrich ended up going 4.2 innings as the starter for Post 77, giving up just three hits, no runs, and four walks while striking out five batters. Landon Boettcher pitched 1.1 innings of relief and gave up one earned run.
Owatonna outhit Austin 11-3 in the contest, with Klecker leading both teams with three and Aedan Tackmann and Jace Ulrich having two each. Three Huskies recorded two RBIs in the game: Aedan Tackmann, Jace Ulrich, Wiese, and Jae Herzog.
Jae Herzog takes a jump at 1st base.
By LUCAS DITTMER
lucas.dittmer@apgsomn.com
Owatonna will now travel to Winona on Monday to face No. 2 seeded Winona LeJetz. Game time is at 6:30 p.m. and the winner will advance to the semifinals in Stewartville on Friday to face the winner of No. 1 Rochester Mayo and No. 5 Rochester Century. The loser will play on Wednesday in the elimination bracket at 5 p.m.
DISTRICT 1 SUBSTATE LEGION PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
* Monday and Wednesday’s games are at higher seed while Friday and Saturday’s games are in Stewartville
MONDAY, JULY 20
Game 8 – No. 1 Rochester Redhawks vs. No. 5 Rochester A’s, 5 p.m.
Game 9 – No. 2 Winona vs. No. 3 Owatonna, 6:30 p.m.
Game 10 – No. 4 Byron vs. No. 8 Kasson, 5 p.m.
Game 11 – No. 6 Austin vs. No. 7 Red Wing, 5 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22Â
Game 12 – Loser of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 10, 5 p.m.
Game 13 – Loser of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 11, 5 p.m.
FRIDAY, JULY 24
Game 14 – Winner of Game 8 vs. Game 9, 12 p.m.
Game 15 – Winner of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 13, 2:30 p.m.
Game 16 – Loser of Game 13 vs. Winner of Game 15, 5 p.m.
SATURDAY, JULY 25
Game 17 – Winner of Game 14 vs. Winner of Game 16, 1 p.m.
Game 18 (If Winner of Game 14 Loses in Game 17) – Following Game 17