Second weekend of 2008 North Star Senior Baseball League Tournament promises exciting action
Stirring comebacks, pitching masterpieces, heartbreaking losses, upsets and, yes, blowouts marked the action packed North Stars Senior Baseball Tournament with a Classic touch pool play opening weekend of the fourth annual spectacular.
When the smoke and dust cleared from the Loretto and Big Willow diamonds, these eight teams advanced to do battle in the Class AAA quarterfinals Friday night at the same sites:
Minnetonka Lakers (the No. 2 seed), Mayer Mudcatz (3), Miesville Groupers (6), Loretto Sox (8), Monticello Ol’ Cats (10), Burnsville Bulldogs (12), St. Paul JT’s (13) and Apple Valley A’s (17)
Among the upset victims were top seed and defending champion Freeport Grey Sox, who set the stage for a very competitive Class A tournament; fourth-seeded Rosetown Rockets and seventh-seeded Minnetonka Saints.
The complete schedule for the coming weekend:
Class AAA Quarterfinals
Minnetonka Lakers vs. Apple Valley, Friday, 6 p.m., Big Willow
Loretto vs. Monticello, Friday, 6 p.m., Loretto
Miesville vs. Burnsville, Friday, 8:15 p.m., Big Willow
Mayer vs. St. Paul JT’s, Friday, 8:30 p.m. Loretto
Class AAA Semifinals Saturday
Lakers-AV winner vs. Loretto-Monticello winner, 5 p.m. at Big Willow
Mayer-JT’s winner vs. Miesville-Burnsville winner, 7:15 p.m. at Loretto
(Loretto would host if it wins, other game would switch to Big Willow)
Class AAA Championship Sunday, 7:30 p.m., Loretto
Class AA Quarterfinals
Freeport vs. St. Louis Park, Saturday, 5 p.m., Loretto
Minnetonka Saints vs. Mill City, Saturday, 7:15 p.m., Big Willow
Woodbury vs. Lion's Tap, Saturday, 2:30 p.m., Loretto
Rosetown vs. Dassel, Saturday, 2:30 p.m., Big Willow
Class AA Semifinals Sunday, 12:15 p.m.
Freeport-SLP winner vs. Saints-Mill City winner at Big Willow
Rosetown-Dassel winner vs. Woodbury-Lions Tap winner at Loretto
Class AA Championship Sunday, 5 p.m., Loretto
Class A Quarterfinals
Becker vs. Shoreview, Saturday 10 a.m., Loretto
Crosstown vs. New Hope, Saturday, 10 a.m., Big Willow
Northfield vs. Edina, Saturday, 12:15 p.m., Big Willow
Mounds View vs. EP Padres, Saturday, 12:15 p.m., Loretto
Class A Semifinals Sunday, 10 a.m.
Becker-Shoreview winners vs. Crosstown-New Hope winner at Loretto
Northfield-Edina winner vs. Mounds View-EP Padres winner at Big Willow
Class A Championship Sunday, 2:30 p.m., Loretto
The NSSBL took on a new look this year when managers voted 15-0 at its annual meeting Feb. 20, to accept a "merger-expansion proposal" with the Classic League.
This created a 24-team NSSBL. To implement the expansion for 2008, the 16 NSSBL teams played a round robin schedule of 15 games each with three wildcard games each against teams from the 9-team Classic League. North Star managers agreed to implement rules allowing liberal defensive substitution and a roster or shared batting order.
Merger-expansion strengthens the visibility, image and competition as the NSSBL launches its fourth season. Mayer won the first two championships, and the first-year Freeport Grey Sox made quite a statement for their first season in 2007: a 4-1 state championship victory Sunday night, Aug. 12 in Loretto over Mayer ending the Mudcatz' three-year ownership of the NSSBL playoffs.
The NSSBL uses wood bats, full count, 3 outs, 7 innings. Players and managers of other teams interested in joining the North Star Senior Baseball League may contact NSSBL President Pat Thompson at 952-470-1864 or Secretary-Treasurer Pete Chubb at 952-546-1775.
Logo design by John Jensen
Minnetonka Lakers/The Classic League
Senior Graphic Designer - Designwrite Advertising - Deephaven, MN
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Pool One: 1,16,17 Freeport Grey Sox, Mounds View Mustangs, Apple Valley A’s
Freeport 3, Mounds View 0
Apple Valley 5, Freeport 2 (8 innings)
Apple Valley 4, Mounds View 1
Class AAA: Apple Valley, Class AA: Freeport, Class A: Mounds View
Pool Two: 2,15,18 Minnetonka Lakers, Eden Prairie Lion's Tap, Crosstown Traffic
Lakers 14, Crosstown Traffic 2
Lakers 11, Lions Tap 0
Lions Tap 11, Crosstown Traffic 0
Class AAA: Lakers, Class AA: Lions Tap, Class A: Crosstown
Pool Three: 3,14,19 Mayer Mudcatz, Northfield Millers, Dassel-Cokato Dukes
Dassel 5, Northfield 4 (10 innings)
Mayer 17, Dassel 5 (6 innings)
Mayer 3, Northfield 2
Class AAA: Mayer, Class AA: Dassel, Class A: Northfield
Pool Four: 4,13,20 Rosetown Rockets, St. Paul JT's, New Hope Bandits
Rosetown 8, New Hope 2
JT’s 6, Rosetown 3
JT’s 11, New Hope 1
Class AAA: JT’s, Class AA: Rosetown, Class A: New Hope
Pool Five: 5,12,21 Woodbury Warriors, Burnsville Bulldogs, Eden Prairie Padres
Burnsville 11, EP Padres 10
Woodbury 2, Padres 0
Burnsville 3, Woodbury 0
Pool Six: 6,11,22 Miesville Groupers, Becker Buzzards, St. Louis Park Cardinals
Miesville 11, St. Louis Park 10
Miesville 3, Becker 2
St. Louis Park 11, Becker 9
Class AAA: Miesville, Class AA: St. Louis Park, Class A: Becker
Pool Seven: 7,10,23 Minnetonka Saints, Monticello Ol’ Cats, Edina Grays
Saints 12, Edina 3
Monticello 16, Edina 5
Monticello 4, Saints 3
Class AAA: Monticello, Class AA: Saints. Class A: Edina
Pool Eight: 8,9,24 Loretto Sox, Mill City Blue, Shoreview SeaFoam Hawks
Mill City 12, Shoreview 2
Loretto 13, Shoreview 1 (5 inning)
Loretto 5, Mill City 3
Class AAA: Loretto, Class AA: Mill City, Class A: Shoreview
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