We hadn't won a game in Prior Lake since 2013. Last year we deuced the bed twice with a State Tourney bid on the line. And this, dear reader, is what it looks like when the Muskies boys clinch a trip to State in Prior Lake.

You'll notice a few things.

• Everyone is smiling except for Baseball Manager Todd Bergstrom.
• Batboy Zock is in Hero Pose (virasana).
• Jay is occupying the classic Cartoon Monster position.
• The Rost Bros. are curiously tilted at the same angle.
• And Scotty is raising the Sacred Leaf. The Sacred Leaf, my friends, it's there when you need it.

And now the game, it was a good one.

Before The Nate Rost even took the mound he had a two-run lead. Back-to-back doubles from K. Henkemeyer and Scotty Lyden started the game off. Spokes took third on a wild pitch, then came around to score on an A. Henkemeyer sac fly.

The Irish answered right back, cutting the lead in half thanks to a Seth Ambroz single, which scored lead off hitter Rhodus who had previously singled (he had three on the evening). Rhodus scored again in the 5th on a SP Josh Simon single, tying up the game.

2-2 after 5.

Simon got into a groove after the 1st and held the Muskies in check until the top of the 7th.

With two outs, Harrison Ballantyne got a rally going with an infield single; it's called using your skill set. K. Henkemeyer laid down an exquisite bunt, giving us runners at first and second. This brought up Scotty Lyden, the All-Star. On a 2-2 pitch he hit one towards short for a single, and the speedy Ballantyne scored all the way from second without the ball getting so far as the outfield. Kyle and Scotty advanced on a bad throw, and then A. Henkemeyer drove them both in with a hard single through the right side of the infield.

5-2 in favor of the Fish after 7.

And that would be the final score. TNR went into bulldog mode and shut the Irish down, working around a few fielding miscues and making big pitches when he needed to.

St. Patrick got the lead-off hitter on in the 9th, but two pitches later was doubled up after Matt Ambroz hit a liner to Squeak at second. With two down, the next hitter, Seth Ambroz, rolled one over to 3B Nick Rost, who fielded, pumped, threw to 1B Kyle Bergstrom, and ended the game along with the curse of the Fudcats. Muskies win, Muskies win.

Huge performance by the Big Fella. Total team victory. Fun to watch.

Now we play for seeding. Next game is Sunday in Faribault at 2PM against the Lakers. Let's get silly all over again.