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18 players to watch in Section 1, Class 4A and 3A baseball playoffs

guy n. limbeck, post-bulletin, rochester, minn.
·7 min read

May 23—ROCHESTER — The Secton 1 baseball tournaments are set to begin in Class 3A and 4A and there are a number of strong teams and players in the area.

The top teams heading into the Secton 1-3A tournament are Stewartville (18-1), Northfield (10-7) and Byron (11-8). The 1-3A tournaement begins on Saturday. Byron is the defending section champion.

The top teams heading into the Section 1-4A tournament are Farmington (17-2), New Prague (12-6), Owatonna (11-7) and Mayo (10-10). The tournament begins on Monday. Lakeville South is the defending section champion.

Here is a look at nine players to watch in each section during the postseason.

The senior is a veteran and has been a valuable player in a number of defensive roles for the Spartans. He is batting .324 with six doubles and 12 RBIs. He is also 1-1 with two saves and a 2.10 ERA in 10 innings pitched. "Chase is a team leader," Mayo coach Tom Senne said. "We can use him in different spots and he has the experience to help our team win."

The senior is a strong middle infielder for the Tigers, the top section seed. The speedy left-handed hitting Berreth is batting .347 with eight RBIs and 11 runs scored. He has been selected to play in the Minnesota All-Star Series. He will play college ball at Division II Southwest Minnesota State University.

The senior has provided good power from the middle of the order the entire season. He has slugged four home runs with four doubles while batting .375 with 22 RBIs and 16 runs scored. Over the last seven games, in which Century was 6-1, he hit .500 with all four of his homers and four doubles. "Jerry has had a really hot bat during our recent winning streak," Panthers coach Todd Stellmaker said.

The senior has been the staff ace for Mayo and has also been an effective hitter. He has a 3-3 record with one shutout, a 3.46 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 32 innings. He is hitting .310 with three doubles and 11 RBIs. "Ethan has been our anchor on the mound," Mayo coach Tom Senne said. "When he is on, he is unbeatable. His mound presence sets the tone for our team."

The sophomore made a smooth transition on defense from shortstop to first base and had been a key cog in the JM lineup. Endle leads the Rockets in hits (17), doubles (six) and runs scored (11) while batting .298. He has six games with multiple hits. "He has stepped up both offensively and defensively as a sophomore," JM coach Tyler Zemla said. "He sets the tone for our offense in the No. 2 spot in the lineup. He has looked like a natural in his first year playing first base."

The power-hitting senior has been a slugger and effective on the mound for the Huskies. He leads the team in homers and has hit .408 with a .545 on-base percentage and has scored 16 runs. He has been chosen to play in the Minnesota All-Star Series and will play baseball at Iowa Central Community College.

The senior has provided a strong bat and stellar outfield defense for the Panthers. He is batting a team-best .371 with three doubles, a triple, nine RBIs and nine runs scored. "Owen has been our most consistent hitter all season and has been a staple of our defense in center field," Panthers coach Todd Stellmaker said.

The senior has a lot in common with teammate Josh Berreth. Like Berreth, Rezny is a left-handed hitter, he has been selected to play in the Minnesota All-Star Series and he will play college ball at Division II Southwest Minnesota State University. Rezny tied for first in the South Suburban Conference with 16 RBIs and was fourth in the league in hitting with a .378 average.

The sophomore infielder reached base in 16 of the first 18 games and leads the team in on-base percentage while batting .286 with 11 runs scored. "He lets the game come to him and doesn't force things," JM coach Tyler Zemla said. "His patience and maturity at the plate is why he is one of the best offensive players in the area."

The hard-throwing senior has struck out 60 batters in just 34 2/3 innings. He teams with junior Aidan Gross (3-0, 0.69 ERA) to give the Bears a tough 1-2 pitching punch. Brennan is 6-1 with a save and a 1.18 ERA. He has been selected to play in the Minnesota All-Star Series. He anchors the infield when not pitching. "Anytime Isaiah pitches we know we have a chance to win," Bears coach Jordan Bale said. "He commands the zone and attacks hitters."

The junior has been a valuable utility player and pitcher for the top-seeded Tigers. He is batting a lusty .537 with three triples, a double, 12 RBIs, 18 runs scored and 14 steals. He has gone 2-1 on the mound with three saves and a 0.32 ERA in 21 1/3 innings. "He's our glue," Tigers coach Tyler Schmitz said. "He's our do-it-all guy."

The senior left-hander has come on at the end of the season with two straight complete games. He has a 4-0 record with a 3.80 ERA and 30 K's in 36 1/3 innings. He is batting .323 with three doubles, 19 RBIs, 14 runs scored and 13 steals as the No. 3 hitter. "He's pitched really well for us," Tigers coach Tyler Schmitz said. "He really pounds the (strike) zone."

The senior has been the staff ace on the mound and a power-hitting run producer from the No. 3 spot in the batting order. He is batting .375 with a .467 on-base percentage and leads the Winhawks in RBIs. He has gone 4-1 with a 1.60 ERA on the mound with 39 K's. "When we need a quality outing, we want the ball in Carson's hand, Winona coach Steve Gilbertson said.

The senior has excelled as a defensive catcher for the Wingers and has also done some pitching. He is in his fourth year as a starter and leads the team in RBIs. Hartmann has been selected to play in the Minnesota All-Star Series. He will play college ball at Division II University of Augustana.

The senior has been a shortstop and pitcher for the Packers for the past three seasons. He leads the team with a .413 batting average and on the mound he has a team-high five victories while posting a 2.01 ERA with 44 K's in 41 innings. Packers coach Jacob Nelson said the captain " leads not only with his performance but with his communication and in-game knowledge. Our guys rally behind Peyton."

The senior has been swinging a big bat for the Raiders all season long and has played strong defense at both third base and in the outfield. He is a three-sport standout for the Raiders who will play college baseball at Division II St. Cloud State University. He has been selected to play in the Minnesota All-Star Series.

The senior outfielder has been the top hitter for the KoMets and hits in the No. 3 spot in the order. He is batting .375 with a .519 on-base percentage, four doubles, seven RBIs and eight runs scored. "He's just a solid player all the way around," K-M coach Jared Simon said. "He just always seems to come up with big hits."

The junior has been hitting at the top of the order and putting up solid numbers for the Bears all season. He is hitting .325 with a .485 on-base percentage, four doubles, two triples, a home run and 17 RBIs. "He can drive the ball to all fields and is our most consistent run producer," Bears coach Jordan Bale said.