MONTEVIDEO — Small ball is a point of pride for the Montevideo American Legion baseball team.
Post 59 held a slim 2-1 lead going into the seventh inning of the opening game of the Division II West Central Sub-State final four against Parkers Prairie.
Montevideo right fielder Caleb Klaassen makes a running catch for an out during a Division II West Central Sub-State Legion baseball playoff game against Parkers Prairie on Thursday, July 23, 2026 at Montevideo.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
Looking to ensure a victory, Montevideo substituted swings of the bats for bunts. And it worked to perfection.
Post 59 put up five runs in the top of the seventh en route to a 7-1 victory on Thursday.
“We take pride in playing the game well,” said Montevideo pitcher/shortstop Brody Dack. “All of our coaches growing up … they teach ball the right way and that’s how we like to play it.”
Montevideo plays for a spot in the finals against Glenwood-Lowry at 11 a.m. Saturday back at Montevideo. Glenwood-Lowry advanced with a 4-0 win over Redwood Falls on Thursday.
Parkers Prairie faces Redwood Falls at 1 p.m. Saturday. The winner plays the Montevideo/Glenwood-Lowry loser at 3 p.m.
The West Central championship begins at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Lathen Nipple led off the top of the seventh with a walk. Jackson Koenen followed that up by laying down a bunt single. Ben Gunlogson followed suit with a bunt. Parkers Prairie’s first baseman was unable to corral the ball and got charged with an error. It also allowed Nipple to score.
Part of the reason to start laying down bunts was Parkers Prairie’s struggles in the field. The Pride finished with three errors.
“With a lefty on the mound, it’s always tough to cover a bunt,” said Post 59 coach Brady Kienitz. “They just happened to place (the bunts) in the right spots, so (give) credit to our guys. We’re a good bunting team.”
Montevideo shortstop Griffin Epema throws across the diamond during a Division II West Central Sub-State Legion baseball playoff game against Parkers Prairie on Thursday, July 23, 2026 at Montevideo.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
Griffin Epema drew a walk to load the bases. Dack hit an RBI single and Gannon Reidinger cracked a grounder up the middle to score two runs and increase Montevideo’s lead to 6-1. Cameron Kibler added the final run with an RBI single to left field.
Dack was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a run and a stolen base. Gunlogson went 2-for-4 with a run. Koenen, the number nine hitter in the lineup, had two hits, a run and an RBI.
Epema finished 2-for-3 with two runs and two stolen bases. He also got the win in relief with six strikeouts with no hits and two walks over 3-1/3 innings. He threw just 45 pitches, meaning he is available to throw on Saturday if needed.
Dack tossed the first 3-2/3 innings, putting up two strikeouts.
“I’m thrilled to have a great defense behind me,” Dack said. “Without them, you can’t really be a pitcher. You have to make plays in the field and I have to do my job. Sometimes, doing my job is letting them hit the ball to my teammates.
“I’m just grateful to have great people behind me.”
Nolan Boesl, Gavin Boesl and Landen Nistler each had a hit for Parkers Prairie. Nistler had an RBI and Gavin scored the team’s only run.
Montevideo first baseman Gannon Reidinger fields a ground ball during a Division II West Central Sub-State Legion baseball playoff game against Parkers Prairie on Thursday, July 23, 2026 at Montevideo.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
Montevideo 7, Parkers Prairie 1
Montevideo 011 000 5-7 10 1
Parkers Prairie 000 100 0-1 3 3
Hitting – Montevideo: Ben Gunlogson 2-4 r, Griffin Epema 2-3 r-2 bb sb-2, Brody Dack 2-3 r rbi-2 sb, Gannon Reidinger 1-4 rbi-2, Cameron Kibler 1-4 rbi, Lathen Nipple 0-0 r bb, Jackson Koenen 2-3 r rbi … Parkers Prairie: Nolan Boesl 1-2 bb, Gavin Boesl 1-2 r bb, Landen Nistler 1-3 rbi,
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) – Montevideo: Dack 3.2-3-1-0-0-2, Epema (W) 3.1-0-0-0-2-6 … Parkers Prairie: Trevor Rounds (L) 6-8-7-5-2-7, Peyton Skoglund 1-2-0-0-0-0
Glenwood-Lowry’s Luke Danielson sends a ball to deep left field during a Division II West Central Sub-State Legion baseball playoff game against Redwood Falls on Thursday, July 23, 2026 at Montevideo.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
Glenwood-Lowry 4, Redwood Falls 0
Marc Gruber tossed 6-2/3 shutout innings with Callum Disrud-Bailey recording the final out, to lead Glenwood-Lowry to the victory at Montevideo.
Gruber struck out six, walked two and scattered seven hits.
Glenwood-Lowry’s Aron Majerus, right, slides safely into second base for a steal during a Division II West Central Sub-State Legion baseball playoff game against Redwood Falls on Thursday, July 23, 2026 at Montevideo.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
AJ Svec led Glenwood-Lowry offensively, going 4-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
Aiden Hagert, Gavin Stoenberg and Dylan Mertens all had two hits for Redwood Falls.
Glenwood-Lowry 201 010 0-4 7 0
Redwood Falls 000 000 0-0 7 1
Hitting – Glenwood-Lowry: Aron Majerus 0-2 r bb hbp sb, Marc Gruber 0-3 r bb, Callum Disrud-Bailey 0-0 r, Conner Erickson 1-2 bb, Luke Danielson 1-2 2b r rbi bb sf, AJ Svec 4-4 2b rbi-2, Braylen Scharmer 1-3 2b … Redwood Falls: Elliot Lang 1-3, Aiden Hagert 2-4, Gavin Stoneberg 2-3, Dylan Mertens 2-3
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) – Glenwood-Lowry: Gruber (W) 6.2-7-0-0-2-6, Disrud-Bailey 0.1-0-0-0-1-0 … Redwood Falls: Joshua Gunderson (L) 5-5-4-3-4-3, Jayden Remiger 2-2-0-0-1-1
Glenwood-Lowry second baseman Braylen Scharmer fields a grounder during a Division II West Central Sub-State Legion baseball playoff game against Redwood Falls on Thursday, July 23, 2026 at Montevideo.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune