Editor's note: Due to weather-related postponements this week, we chose to spotlight three Top Games instead of five. The matchups below were not postponed at the time of publishing this article. Click the Schedule tab in the navigation bar above to stay up to date on schedule changes.
Waconia went on tear like no other last year.
The Wildcats never lost, rolling through 26 games en route to a Class 3A state championship. They became the ninth team to go undefeated in Minnesota high school baseball history.
Benilde-St. Margaret's nearly woke Waconia from their dream run. The Red Knights were leading 2-1 and were two outs away from victory in the Class 3A, Section 6 finals before an error in the seventh inning scored the tying run, and in the eighth, Wildcats catcher Robbie Smith supplied a walk-off base hit to send Waconia to the state tournament.
That dramatic game sets the stage for our Top Game of the Week, which has Waconia visiting Benilde-St. Margaret's on Friday.
Smith is the only returning player from an everyday lineup that featured batting averages above .310 and on-base percentages above .450 from all nine spots.
A cast of 10 other seniors, and junior Ethan Swanson, who posted a 1.58 ERA over 31 innings last season, will help fill the void.
Matt Murnane leads the Red Knights. He reached base four times from the leadoff spot in that heartbreaking affair, and returns for his junior season looking for a piece of revenge.