After a rousing opening- game win in the American Legion substate 5 baseball tournament at Burnsville’s Alimagnet Park, St. Paul Park’s bats went cold.

Fourth-seeded Park opened the Division I Senior Legion tournament with an 11-0 thrashing of rival and fifth-seeded East Ridge on Wednesday, July 19.

But Park dropped a 15-5 decision in five innings to top-seeded Woodbury Blue in the second round Thursday. Facing elimination against second-seeded Rosemount in the consolation bracket Friday afternoon, Park again failed to muster much offense and lost a 7-0 decision.

The tournament was in many ways a reflection of Park’s season – numerous big wins and also some tough losses.

Against Woodbury Blue, St. Paul Park gave up 10 runs in the second inning to get itself in a deep hole. Park rallied with five runs in the third inning to cut the deficit in half. But Woodbury Blue scored four times in the fourth and added a single run in the bottom of the fifth to end the game.

Woodbury outhit Park 13-5 in the contest.

Rosemount went on to claim the tournament title with a 6-5 win over Burnsville in the substate finals Sunday.

Pitcher Sam Janski of Saint Paul Park throws against Woodbury Blue Thursday in an American Legion substate tournament game. Photo by John Molene