Brainerd's run in the VFW State Baseball Tournament ended Sunday, Aug. 12, in sour fashion with Post 1647 falling to Chaska 10-0 in five innings at Mills Field in the championship game.
Brainerd, which was the host team, was held to one hit in the shutout loss.
"We ran into a very good pitcher at the worst time," Brainerd head coach Brian Voigt said. "The score of this game doesn't show how hard our guys played. I know my guys left it all on the field and I'm proud of them for that."
Chaska's offensive explosion started in the second inning when it put its third and fourth runs on the board after an RBI single. Chaska tacked on six more runs in the final two innings including a game-ending double to the center field wall. Chaska finished the game with nine hits.
"They have a very good ball team with a lot of solid players," Voigt said of Chaska. "They took advantage of the extra rest they got from not losing a game and not dipping into an elimination game."
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Brainerd entered the state tournament as the 10th seed out of 10 teams. Its epic run may have fallen short but Brainerd showed they could compete with any team in the state.
"We had many ups and downs this summer as a unit but the way these guys competed these last four days have been special to watch," Voigt said. "I'm confident when they move up to the next level that they will be prepared to compete again.
Brainerd finished the season 25-6. It's believed to be the fourth time Brainerd has finished as the state runner-up. Brainerd has never won the championship.
State championship game
Brainerd: 0 1 0
Chaska: 10 9 1
LP: Sannes. 2B: Laber. Overall: Brainerd finishes 25-6.
Brainerd 7, Maple Grove 6
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In Saturday's second game, Brainerd remained alive as Ethan Sannes delivered the game-winning walk-off hit in a 3-run bottom of the seventh.
At bat, Broc Peterson finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Sannes and Mason Agir ech added two hits. Argir and Michael Laber each drove in two runs.
On the mound, Peterson went the distance, allowing 10 hits and five earned runs with a walk and three strikeouts.
Game Two Saturday
Maple Grove 6 10 0
Brainerd 7 11 3
WP: Broc Peterson. 2B: B-Broc Peterson, Mason Argir. 3B: B-Michael Laber.
Chaska 7, Brainerd 5
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Argir pitched a complete game and Brainerd was limited to four hits in its first loss in the double-elimination tournament in Saturday's first game.
In six innings, Argir allowed six hits and seven earned runs with eight walks and a strikeout. Brainerd trailed 7-2 through four innings.
Game One Saturday
Brainerd 5 4 1
Chaska 7 6 0
LP: Mason Argir. 3B: B-Michael Laber.
For more photos go to https://bit.ly/2w0629X
