St. Paul Park turned away visiting Forest Lake 5-2 in the final game of the regular season at Cottage Grove on a drizzly Friday evening.
Now it’s on to the 2023 Division 1 Sub-State 6 …
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St. Paul Park turned away visiting Forest Lake 5-2 in the final game of the regular season at Cottage Grove on a drizzly Friday evening.
Now it’s on to the 2023 Division 1 Sub-State 6 playoffs for the American Legion Post 98 team, which begin Wednesday in Eagan. The substate playoffs will run from Wednesday, July 19 through Sunday, July 23.
Teams in the sub-state are Eagan, East Ridge, Hastings, Inver Grove Heights, Lakeville South, Red Wing, South St. Paul, St. Paul Park and West St. Paul. Games will be played at Eagan High School and Goat Hill Park.
St. Paul Park drew the No. 2 seed in the tournament and will open against seventh-seeded Inver Grove Heights in a game Wednesday starting at 4:30 p.m. at Goat Hill Park, or field 2 at 4391 Lexington Ave., S., Eagan.
“I do think we’re going to be in great shape for sub-state,” said Bryce Henk. “I think we can, at least, if not win it, make a good run. I think now we’re getting our bats rolling, making plays out in the field. And we’re all-around, doing well.”
“I think it’s going to go pretty good,” agreed St. Paul Park’s Daniel Swanson. “The pitching is going pretty well right now. The big guys like Owen (Rose) are doing pretty well, hitting as well.”
Other first-round games are No. 1 Lakeville South vs. No. 8 South St. Paul, No. 4 West St. Paul vs. No. 5 Eagan and No. 3 Hastings vs. No. 6 Red Wing.
After a scoreless first three innings on Friday, St. Paul Park busted out three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-0 lead over Forest Lake. The teams traded two runs each and dodged the increasing sprinkles over the next four innings, but it was a relatively comfortable win for Post 98.
Nathan Rolf opened on the mound for St. Paul Park and picked up the pitching win.
The team’s expectations for the sub-state tournament are simple, said Marcus Drak. “Play hard. Get loud. We’ve got to be loud on the bench. Have great -- what Daniel was talking about -- our mentality. And bring our A game.”
