Thursday, March 28, 2024
Members of the Hayfield baseball team celebrated after winning the Minnesota State Class A Baseball Championship by beating New York Mills 7-4.

Hayfield wins first-ever baseball championship

Hayfield Viking's baseball team was at Target Field last Friday, June18, playing against #2 seed New York Mills for the Class 1A State Championship. 

They got there by beating Adrian-Ellsworth 16-1 in five innings in the quarterfinal game and then they beat Springfield 16-0 also in five innings in the semifinal game. 

New York Mills went 15 innings against Randolph in the semi-final game on Wednesday. 

The Vikings came into the game undefeated with a 25-0 record.
Hayfield has been dominant on offense throughout most of the year usually scoring a bunch of runs in the first inning with their strong batting line-up. That didn't happen in this game and Hayfield trailed after four innings. 

Hayfield was the guest facing New York Mills pitcher Drey Roberts. Both teams went three up, three down in the first inning. Lucas Hansen started the second inning for the Vikings with a hit down the middle but was out in a double play when he couldn't get back to first after Isaiah Tempel flew out to right field. 

Ethan Slaathaug made it to first on an error by the third baseman. He then stole second base and advanced to third on the throwing error down to second by the catcher. Erik Bungum struck out to end the inning. 

New York Mills came into the second inning with strong bats. Easton Fritcher faced ten batters. The first two batters got singles and were advanced by a sac bunt. One run would score on a single to left field by Will Oakes. Cale Rudolph scored another run when he hit a line shot back at Fritcher who would knock the ball down and then tried to get the
runner at second but it was not on time. Jace Rudolph grounded to third baseman Joey Tempel who got the force out at first. Bren Salo had a two run RBI single to the right side scoring Oakes and C. Rudolph. A hit by Jonah Johnson and a walked batter loaded the bases for New York Mills. 
Fritcher was able to get out of the inning leaving the runners stranded by striking out Abe Carlson. The Vikings were down 4-0 after two innings. Hayfield was able to get two runs back in the third inning when Nolan Klocke reached base on balls, advanced on a hit by Fritcher and a fielder's choice by Joey Temple and then scored on an error by the
shortstop on a ball hit by Karver Heydt. 

Joey Tempel would then score on a hit to left field by Lucas Hansen. Fritcher faced four batters in the third inning starting with a walk followed by a ground ball to first baseman Lucas Hansen who tagged the runner going to first and then two strikeouts. Hayfield looked like they were going to get a run or two in the fourth inning when they had runners on first and second, two outs and Fritcher at the plate. Fritcher lined a hard fly to right field
that looked like it was going to drop in front of the fielder but instead the fielder made a great shoelace catch for the out to end the inning. In the bottom of the 4th inning, New York Mills left runners stranded on second and third. Hayfield did some damage in the fifth
inning sending eight batters to the plate.  Joey Tempel started the
inning reaching base on an error by the third baseman. Karver Heydt walked. Lucas Hansen laid down the perfect bunt that went past the pitcher to the left side for a hit which loaded the bases. Isaiah Tempel got a hit which would allow Joey Tempel to score. 

With bases loaded, New York Mills throws home for a force out at the plate by an Ethan
Slaathaug grounder to the infield. With bases still loaded and one out, #7 hitter Erik Bungum stepped up to the plate for the third time after striking out his first two at bats and hit a base clearing double bringing the fans out of their seats cheering. The bench went wild as well. The Vikings were now up 6-4. Isaac Watson struck out and Nolan Klocke grounded out to end the inning. 

New York Mills left two runners stranded on base in the bottom of the fifth inning. Hayfield would get an insurance run in the sixth inning when Easton Fritcher started the inning with a triple. Joey Tempel would score Fritcher with a sac fly to centerfield. Easton Fritcher faced New York Mills leadoff batter striking him out and then he was taken out of the game and resumed his position in center field.  Nolan Klocke came in to relieve him. Klocke walked the first batter. The next two batters got hits to load the bases. Drey Roberts hit a blooper in short left field that looked like it was going to drop in for a hit but shortstop Erik Bungum made a run saving diving catch and was able to get up and run the ball into the infield before any runners could advance.

Klocke struck out the next batter to get out of the inning. Hayfield had bases loaded in the top of the seventh with no outs after Isaiah Tempel walked, followed by bunts for hits by Slaathaug and Bungum. But New York Mills pitcher was able to get the next three batters out to end the inning with Hayfield leading 7-4 going into the bottom of the seventh inning. 

Up to bat for New York Mills were their 7-9 hitters. Klocke struck out the first batter, got the next batter to fly out to right field, and the game ended with the ball hit back to Klocke who took his time to make sure he made a good throw to first for the final out and a Hayfield State Championship title. 

The gloves went flying in the air, the bench cleared and the team celebrated with hugs in the infield. The Hayfield fans went wild. Head coach Kasey Krekling and assistant coach Tom Dublin had a long embrace. They did it!  One game at a time, one goal at a time!  An undefeated season (26-0) and a first ever State Title for Hayfield's baseball team. Congratulations Hayfield Vikings!  You did it!

Easton Fritcher 5 1/3 IP 7H, 4R, 4ER, 5BB, 7K        Nolan Klocke 1 2/3
IP 2H, 0R, 1BB, 2K

Easton Fritcher 2-5,R,3B; Joey Tempel 0-3,RBI,SB,2R; Karver Heydt
1-3,BB; Lucas Hansen 3-4,RBI,R; Isaiah Tempel 1-3,RBI,R,BB; Ethan
Slaathaug 2-4,R; Erik Bungum 2-4,2B,3RBI; Isaac Watson 0-4; Nolan Klocke
0-2,R,2BB
 

 

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