Sabermetrics, advanced stats, hyper-analyzation. Baseball can be a complicated game.
Or, as in the case of Champlin Park’s 2-1 victory over Woodbury in the Class 4A semifinals on Friday at CHS Field, it also can be remarkably simple.
Take the lead. Throw strikes. Catch the ball. Win the game.
“Baseball is not really hard,” Rebels’ coach Cory Davis said. “It can be a pretty easy game.”
Of course, it helps to have a group of seniors like Champlin Park has. Fourteen of the Rebels’ varsity players are playing for their school for the last time. One of them, Aaron Kloeppner, was the picture of pitching efficiency on Friday.
Kloeppner pitched 6 2/3 innings, scattering five hits and giving up just one run. He struck out just two batters, but didn’t issue a walk and threw just 77 pitches. He was relieved with two outs and two on in the top of the seventh for Drew Nelson, who picked up a three-pitch save.
“I was locating well, especially early on, and the defense made plays behind me,” Kloeppner said. “I definitely wanted to close the game out, but we have Drew Nelson and he throws bb’s. He can just shut guys down.”
Woodbury starter Brady Mundahl was almost Kloeppner’s equal. He settled down after the first inning, giving up just one hit over the final five innings, but enough damage had been done.
“Their pitcher was really good. You have to tip your cap to him,” Woodbury coach Kevin McDermott said. “Once Brady settled in he was awesome. He did an excellent job, but we just came up a little bit short.”
