By John Molene

Visiting Inver Grove Heights pushed across three runs in the top of the seventh inning to hold off St. Paul Park Post 98, winning 11-8 in American Legion baseball Thursday, July 7 in Cottage Grove.

The game was just the second home contest for Park in a season which is rapidly drawing to its conclusion.

Cottage Grove plays at Shakopee Thursday, then has its final home game Friday, July 15, hosting Eagan with a 6 p.m. start time.

The substate tournament begins Wednesday, July 20 at Hastings, with possible play-in games starting Monday, July 18.

The Inver Grove Heights game was tied at 2-all after one inning, 3-3 after three innings and 6-6 after five. But the Inver Grove Heights Spartans scored five runs in the final two innings which Park couldn’t match.

Down 11-6 entering the bottom of the seventh, Park closed to 11-8 on a hit batter and singles by Elijah Moeching and Logan Doherty, but the next two batters flew out to end the game.

Park fell to 6-5-2 after the loss.

“I would say for the season the boys are starting to play pretty well together,” said coach Dave Wagner. “They’re jelling, they’re finally getting a little bit of continuity between them, knowing where kids are atm, where their other teammates are at. “This game I think we lost focus in a couple of innings, committed a few errors and that cost us,” Wagner continued. “But from a bat standpoint I think we’re starting to swing the bat a lot better than we have been and I think we’re finally starting to play some decent ball. Looking forward to the rest of the season.”

St. Paul Park’s Tyler Schwartz makes the stop at second base and throws to first for an out against visiting Inver Grove Heights Thursday. Photo by John Molene

Centerfielder turned pitcher Elijah Moechnig of St. Paul Park bears down in the sixth inning against Inver Grove Heights. Photo by John Molene