Season ends for Legion baseball team
New Prague’s Post 45 American Legion baseball team saw its successful season come to a halt last week, as they lost two of three games at the Third District Tournament in Burnsville and Apple Valley.
New Prague opened with an extra-inning loss to Northfield, came back to defeat Mahtomedi in the loser’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament, then lost to the tourney’s top seed, West St. Paul. The team finished its season with a 19-4 record.
Northfield 8, New Prague 7
What was an up and down game for New Prague ended on a down note, as Northfield scored an unearned run in the top of the 10th inning to take an 8-7 win in the first round of the double-elimination tournament Wednesday, July 27.
Northfield grabbed an early lead with a pair of hits, a walk and a sacrifice in the first inning, but New Prague tied it with two in the second. Kevin Kalina led off with a single and advanced on a base hit by Matt Ambroz. Tony Kubes hit into a fielder’s choice, moving Kalina to third. Kubes stole second and both runners scored on a double by Kyle Kalina.
New Prague made it 4-3 in the third, when Mike Goldsmith and Dan Meger led of with a pair of singles. With one out, Kevin Kalina singled to drive in a run. Kubes drove in the second run with a base hit.
Northfield tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth inning, then took a 6-4 lead with a pair in the fifth. New Prague made it 6-5 in the bottom of the fifth. Meger drew a leadoff walk, advanced on a base hit by Josh Simon and scored when Kevin Kalina hit into a double play.
Northfield scored a run in the eighth to make it 7-5, but New Prague tied the game in the bottom of the ninth. Eric Bisek singled and Goldsmith reached on an error. Meger sacrificed the runners ahead and Simon singled, driving in both runs.
But in the top of the 10th, after two runners were retired, Northfield scored an unearned run. One batter was hit by a pitch, advanced on an error, then scored on a base hit.
Ben Bartelt started for New Prague and allowed 11 hits and seven runs, he struck out six. Kyle Bergstrom came on in relief and took the loss, allowing only one hit and an unearned run.
At the plate, Kevin Kalina had four hits and Simon and Ambroz had two each. Only one of New Prague’s 13 hits went for extra bases.
July 27, at Alimagnet Park, Burnsville
Northfield 200 220 010 1 — 8 13 2
New Prague 022 010 002 0 — 7 13 1
NP pitchers: Bartelt, K. Bergstrom (L, 6-1)
NP hits: Goldsmith, Meger, Simon 2, Ke Kalina 4, Ambroz 2, Kubes, Ky Kalina 2b, Bisek
New Prague 7, Mahtomedi 3
New Prague scored all their runs early and held on to win a 7-3 contest in a loser’s bracket game at Eastview High School Thursday, July 28.
Goldsmith led off the game with a base hit and a stolen base, and Tyler Seurer doubled to drive in a run. With one out, Kevin Kalina was hit by a pitch and Matt Ambroz hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Seurer. Bergstrom’s double scored Kalina, and an RBI single by Bisek gave New Prague a 4-0 lead.
Goldsmith got a one-out double and scored on a two-bagger by Seurer, making it 5-0 after two. Bergstrom doubled to lead off the third and scored when Meger reached on an error, making it 6-0.
New Prague added one more in the seventh. Kevin Kalina reached on an error and Ambroz singled, moving him to third. Bergstrom grounded into a double play, scoring Kalina.
Josh Simon pitched a great game, allowing only two hits through the first eight innings. He allowed only three base runners through six innings, with two of those erased on double plays and the third caught stealing.
Mahtomedi made a comeback effort in the ninth, with a double and two walks loading the bases. They scored three runs before Simon closed the door.
New Prague belted six doubles in the game, two each by Seurer and Bergstrom. Seurer had three hits for New Prague.
July 28, at Eastview HS, Apple Valley
New Prague 411 000 100 — 7 11 2
Mahtomedi 000 000 003 — 3 3 2
NP pitchers: Simon (W, 6-2)
NP hits: Goldsmith 2 (2B), Seurer 3 (2-2B), Ke Kalina 2 (2B), Ambroz, Bergstrom 2 (2-2B), Bisek,
West St. Paul 10, New Prague 5
New Prague led 4-3 through four innings, but West St. Paul, the tourney’s high seed and the No. 3-ranked team in the state legion poll, tied it in the fifth and scored six runs in the sixth to put away this game, eliminating New Prague from the tournament.
New Prague got a pair of runs in the second. Ambroz led off with a homer, then Meger, who reached on a fielder’s choice, scored on a base hit by Goldsmith.
West St. Paul scored a run in the third and two in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead, but New Prague got a pair in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Bisek singled and Bergstrom walked. Both scored on a base hit by Meger.
Dan Leslie, the Star Tribune’s Metro Player of the Year for high school baseball, tied the game with a solo homer for West St. Paul in the fifth inning.
Things fell apart in the sixth for New Prague, as West St. Paul scored six runs with six hits, a hit batter, an error and a walk.
Simon came on to shut down West St. Paul the rest of the way, but the damage had already been done. New Prague got a single run in the ninth, with A.J. Friedges reaching on an error, then a walk and a hit batter loaded the bases. Goldsmith drove in the final run with a sacrifice fly.
Bergstrom started and took the loss for New Prague, allowing 10 runs, eight of them earned.
Bisek and Beckius had two hits each for New Prague
July 29, at Apple Valley Legion Field
West St. Paul 001 216 000 — 10 12 0
New Prague 020 200 001 — 5 9 2
NP pitchers: K Bergstrom (L, 6-2), Simon
NP hits: Goldsmith, Seurer, Ke Kalina, Ambroz (HR), Bisek 2, Meger, Beckius 2
Woodbury Blue,
Apple Valley advance
Woodbury Blue won the tournament by defeating Eagan, Stillwater, Lakeville and Apple Valley. Apple Valley came back to defeat Chaska in the consolation round. Woodbury and Apple Valley will represent the Third District in the State American Legion Division I tournament Thursday through Sunday in St. Cloud.
