The extra effort is finally paying off for Roseville’s Tim Pasiuk. 

The senior nearly matched his RBI total from last season by driving in three runs to lead the Raiders to an 8-4 victory over Brainerd at CHS Field in downtown St. Paul on Thursday night. 

Pasiuk finished his junior year with just four RBI, but the catcher has surpassed that total after nine games this season and is tied for the second most on the team with six.

Pasiuk also went 3-for-3 against the Warriors and said he wasn’t trying to do anything fancy at the plate. 

“I was working on staying back and staying through the ball,” he added.

A commitment to working on his swing is the biggest reason for Pasiuk’s marked improvement.

“He’s our hardest worker, by far,” Roseville coach Mike Ponsolle said. “(He’s a) ‘first to be there, last to leave’ type of player.”

That dedication is also helping Pasiuk’s pile up hits. The three-year varsity player is tied for third-highest total on the team with 10 hits in 28 at-bats.

Pasiuk’s efforts helped him attract the attention of college programs, and he has committed play baseball at Waldorf College in Iowa next year.

While Pasiuk propelled the Raiders at the plate, Michael Jacobson stopped Brainerd from the mound. The junior entered the game with the bases loaded and two out in the top of the seventh inning and recorded the save after striking out the final Warriors’ batter on just four pitches.

Jacobson said one phrase flashed in his mind as he took the mound: “Let’s do this.” 

That mentality makes Jacobson the go-to option for closing out games, Ponsolle said. 

“He’s a confident kid,” Ponsolle added. “Some people may take it as overconfidence, but when you’re a closer, there’s no such thing.”

Ponsolle said the win over a quality Warriors team, which is ranked No. 11 in the Class 3A coaches poll, will benefit Roseville when being seeded for sections.

“Brainerd has been known for their baseball,” Ponsolle said. “We wanted to play them for that reason.” 

Pasiuk’s work ethic and Jacobson’s confidence will be key for a Raiders team looking to make just its second state tournament appearance. Roseville won the Class 3A consolation championship in 2002, but has not been back since. 

Getting out of a stacked Section 4 won’t be easy, not with No. 2-3A Mounds View and No. 3-2A Cretin-Derham Hall as potential playoff opponents.
However, Ponsolle said the Raiders won’t back down when it comes to accomplishing their intentions for the the season. 

“We have one major goal,” Ponsolle said. “And that’s the state tournament.”

Senior catcher Tim Pasiuk went 3-for-3 and had three RBI to lead Roseville past Brainerd 8-4 on Thursday at CHS Field in St. Paul. 

Senior Ian Harlander and junior Michael Jacobson each had an RBI for the Raiders (6-3), who took an early lead and then responded every time the Warriors (3-3) mounted a comeback.

Brainerd scored a run in the top of the fifth to tie the game 1-1, but Roseville answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead.

The Warriors, ranked No. 11 in Class 3A in the coaches poll, clawed their way back into the game and made the score 5-4 with three runs in the sixth. The Raiders added two runs in their half of the inning and held Brainerd scoreless in the seventh to seal the victory.

Roseville senior Kyle Koncilja allowed eight hits and four runs (three earned) while walking two in pitching 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win. Jacobson recorded the save.

Junior Jake Meyer finished with two RBI, and senior starter Hayden Bukowski took the loss after pitching 5 1/3 innings for the Warriors. 

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