By Harold Brutlag
The North Star baseball league did themselves proud over the weekend when they advanced three of the four teams to the state tournament.
No. 1 Delano started things off Friday with 4-0 shut out over Spring Hill behind the strong arm of Max Otto. Long ball slugger, Tobie Hanson had a homerun in the fifth inning for an RBI and a 3-0 lead.
Delano will play the Elrosa Saints Fri., Sept 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Maple Lake’s game was at 11 a.m. Sunday against the Courtland Cubs with their pitching ace, Hunter Malachek on the mound against Cub’s Jackson Bode.
The Lakers found themselves down 2-4 when the Cubs scored 3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, but ML came back with 4 runs in the top of the 7th with Mergen scoring on a single by Jake Bergstrom; Fobbe scored on a double by Ben Clapp; Clapp scored on a single by Hunter Malachek; and Malachek scored on a hit by Donnie Mavencamp.
Maple Lake added two more runs in the 9th for an 8-4 victory. The Cubs catcher was called for interference and moved the runners up to second and third.Bergstrom walked to load the bases and B. Goelz and Logan Orazem each getting a RBI in the 9th inning.
This was Courtland first tournament team in 78 years’
The Lakers next game will be with Sartell, Saturday, September 2 at 4:30 p.m. Sartell defeated New York Mills 8-0. Hutchinson was aa 8 – 1 winner over the Hinckley Knights Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The Hutchinson team took an 3-1 lead after three innings, added one in the fifth, and coasted to a win with four more in the 9th.
They will play the Buckman Billygoats at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Dassel. Buckman defeated Kimball 5-4 Saturday.
In Loretto’s game with St. Martin on Sunday the Larks gave up four runs in the 7th inning after a 2 – 2 tie. They loaded the bases trailed 6-2 in the top of the 9th inning, but failed to score.
St. Martin will face the Avon Aces Sept.1 at 7:30 in the final weekend.