The Muskies went into the 4th annual Elko/New Market Budweiser Classic riding high, having just been named the #1 ranked team in Class C. Check out the full story here: http://www.mnbaseball.org/news/12887

 

As has been the case for the last few seasons, this year's tourney was stacked with great teams. Our first game was supposed to be against Lyon's Pub Warriors on Friday evening, but the baseball gods had other ideas, and pushed it back to Saturday morning thanks to some heavy rain.

 

In order to make sure that all the games could be played in a timely fashion, we decided to play seven inning contests in the first few rounds. Not ideal, but necessary.

 

Some highlights...

 

Saturday morning, come game time, the Warriors brought their walloping sticks. They hung a four spot in the first thanks to a 3-run dinger from catcher Tony Nault. But we answered right back with four of our own, thanks to a 3-run dinger from A. Henkemeyer and a solo tater from Ni. Rost. With the romantic idea of a pitcher's duel being thrown right out the window, the Warriors plated three more in the second thanks to another three run dinger, this time from shorstop D. Blunt.

 

7-4 Warriors after 2. We wouldn't score again. They added another solo shot a little later to bring us to the final score of 8-4 and hand us our first loss of the season.

 

Despite the loss, intensity and spirits were high, the clubhouse was loose, and we were ready to play more ball. Twelve wins to start the season, not a bad streak!

 

GAME 1 

Lyon's Pub Warriors 8

Muskies 4

 

Our second game of the tourney ended up being a rematch against a familiar ENMBC opponent, the Prior Lake Jays.

 

A. Henkemeyer took the hill for the Fish, continuing to display his versatility and contagious put-me-in-coach attitude---and boy was he good: he threw six solid innings, scattering seven hits, walking a pair, and striking out just as many.

 

Most of the offensive damage was done in the 1st. #14, the reluctant piranha, led things off with a walk, Scotty reached on an error, A. Henkemeyer doubled, Nate Rost singled and would eventually come around to score on a Harvard Martin base knock. 

 

3-0 in favor of the Fish after 1.

 

Big Henky decided to help his own cause in the 6th by hitting one over the right field fence, thus allowing him to take a slow trot around the bases. 

 

Tip o' the cap to Jays pitcher T. J. Larson. In between doing a bunch of weird stuff on the mound, he threw a really good game, and was definitely one of the best pitchers we faced all year. 

 

GAME 2 

Prior Lake Jays 1

Muskies 4

 

 

Looking to secure the consolation championship for the second (or third, I can't remember) season in a row, we knew we had a tall task ahead of us, as we squared off against the St. Paul Capitals, the 2014 Class A champs and 2015 runners-up.

 

And so you do what you do when you need something done now and done right: you tap Al Weeman on the shoulder and let the man do his thing.

 

And do his thing he did: 6 IP, 10 scattered hits, 4 BB, 1 K, and a whole lot of grit and fortitude. 

 

The Muskies wasted little time in getting Al a lead. El web maestro reached on a error and eventually came around to score on a Nate Rost single. That will not be the last time you read this phrase: X, Y, and Z came around to score on a Nate Rost hit.

 

We added another single run in the 4th after K. Henkemeyer lifted a sac fly to score Nate Rost, who led off the inning with a double.

 

2-0 Muskies after 4.

 

The Capitals answered back with one in the 5th, at which point we responded with two of our own.

 

4-1 Muskies after 5.

 

St. Paul proceeded to tie it up in the top of the 6th thanks to a 3-run homer from their right fielder.

 

And then things got a little crazy.

 

All told, we scored 15 runs in the 6th, a Muskies record (during the wood bat, record keeping era) according to my calculations. Everyone scored at least once, many scored twice. Nate Rost blasted two homers, one of which was a grand salami. A. Henkemeyer drilled a 3-run shot, and T. Bergstrom reached base safely thrice in the inning. 

 

The middle of the lineup was ridiculous. Scotty Lyden and A. Henkemeyer each had three knocks and three RBI, and Nate Rost had himself an absolute day: 5-5, 4 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, and 7 RBI. That brings his total to 31 RBI in 15 games. To be fair, A. Henkemeyer isn't far behind with 27 in 11. Both of these guys are what you call "locked in."

 

Even with the record setting inning, my favorite part of the afternoon happened after the game, when Todd was giving a rousing post-tourney pep talk and Nick Rost's little boy Wes uttered this little gem: "When he's done talking, can we leave?" Yes, Wes, yes you can.

 

GAME 3 

St. Paul Capitals 4

Muskies 19

 

Thanks for coming out and supporting us this weekend! See you on Wednesday for a rare night game at the Fish Bowl (6:15PM).