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Aggies exploit Eagle errors

By MN Baseball Hub and Star Tribune Staff, 06/18/12, 6:03AM CDT

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St. Agnes shuts out Lac qui Parle Valley, capitalizes on miscues to win Class 1A title


St. Agnes third baseman Nick Turch tags out Sam Hass of Lac qui Parle Valley during the state Class 1A championship game. Photo by Richard Tsong-Taatarii

St. Agnes sophomore pitcher Jack Fossand summed it up in four words:

“This is pretty amazing,’’ he said after leading his sixth-ranked Aggies past mistake-prone Lac qui Parle Valley 6-0 Monday for the Class 1A state baseball championship at Target Field.

Not just that they won the St. Paul school’s second baseball title. But how they did it.

To reach the tournament, they knocked off No. 1-ranked West Lutheran.

Then, in the three tournament games, St. Agnes shut out No. 2 and undefeated New York Mills, No. 11 Blackduck and finally, Lac qui Parle Valley.

Fossand only needed 84 pitches (56 for strikes) to throw a four-hit shutout. He gave up three hits in a 1-0 win over New York Mills in the quarterfinals.

“Our pitching was fantastic,” Aggies coach Mike Streitz said.


St. Agnes sophomore Jack Fossand allowed just four hits in the state Class 1A championship game. Photo by Richard Tsong-Taatarii

St. Agnes (23-6), which doesn’t have a home field, wanted to give Fossand some early run support. So when Streitz won the coin toss, he selected to be visitors. The move paid off with two first-inning runs.

“I have to give all the credit to our coach,” said Aggies senior shortstop Charlie Turch, who was 3-for-4 with three runs scored. “He has the guts to do that, and trust us.”

St. Agnes also scored two runs in each the third and fourth innings. Turch scored a run in each of them.

“I was nervous coming into the game,” Fossand said. “Getting those early runs calmed me down.”

Lac qui Parle Valley (18-10) committed five errors and had a miscue on three consecutive batters in the first.

Turch’s single in the first scored senior Mitch Knippenberg when the throw from right field bounced into the Aggies’ dugout. He scored the second run on an error.

Turch started a two-run third with a lead-off double to left that landed on the warning track. He scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Joe McDonald. The second run of the inning scored on the Eagles’ fourth error.

The Aggies, who won their first state title in 2001, scored two more runs in the fourth. Knippenberg delivered a two-out, run-scoring single and Turch scored on a double steal.

“I have been dreaming about this since my freshman year,” said Turch, who threw the Aggies’ other shutout in the state tourney.”

-- Ron Haggstrom, Star Tribune Staff
rhaggstrom@startribune.com 

Game Recap

Jack Fossand pitched a complete-game shutout for the Aggies, finishing off an impressive tournament in which St. Agnes did not allow a single run. The Aggies scored two in the 1st, 3rd and 4th, capitalizing on five Eagles' errors to win the Class A State Tournament 6-0.

All-tournament selection Brandon Bornhorst threw 141 pitches in the complete-game losing effort, receiving little help from his defense. He allowed six runs (four earned) while allowing eight hits and walking three. The Eagles offense mustered up a rally in the 7th, which was derailed by Sam Haas getting thrown out attempting to steal third. 

Timely hitting paired with sloppy defense by Lac qui Parle Valley helped the Aggies to a comfortable 6-0 lead after 4 innings as Fossand found his groove. He scattered five hits while walking one.

The St. Agnes Aggies win the Class A State Championship in their 5th tournament appearance, ending the season 23-6.

-- Alec Kinsky, MN Baseball Hub Staff

Three Stars

1. Jack Fossand, St. Agnes
The sophomore right-hander tossed a complete-game shutout, scattering four hits, walking one and striking out four. He finished strong, pitching out of a mini-jam in the 7th inning to close out the Class A State Tournament Championship.

2. Charlie Turch, St. Agnes
Turch went 3-4 with 3 runs scored and played very strong defense in the win. He logged the best hit of the day, smashing a double down the left-field line that one-hopped the fence.

3. Brandon Bornhorst, Lac qui Parle Valley
Bornhorst was a horse for the Eagles, throwing 141 pitches in the complete-game losing effort. He didn't get much help from his defense early on, including three errors in the first inning resulting in two un-earned runs. 

-- Alec Kinsky, MN Baseball Hub Staff

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