I fully understand there is a lot of information in the newspaper this week about amateur baseball.
I know there are people that don’t have any interest in sports but what happened this weekend was very special in more than one way.
I have my responsibilities as an editor to report on the games but I am also a big fan.
And by the looks of the stands Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at “The Willy” William J. Grose Field, there are a lot of baseball fans out there.
Nearly 1,000 adults and possibly just as many children, attended the five Region 5C Playoff games.
With Waseca, Morristown, and Waterville all playing games, there certainly were fans cheering for all three teams.
When the dust settled, Waseca and Waterville will represent this Region at the Class C State Tournament starting this weekend in New Prague, Shakopee, Jordan, and New Prague.
As many of you know the team lost a longtime member, Shane Sellner, a couple of years ago and he will never be forgotten. The 13-60 League Player of the Year Award is named after Shane and his father Rick, who coaches the Indians and his brother Luke, who plays first base, presented this award to Waseca pitcher Tyson Reger Sunday morning.
There are family and friends who have worn Shane’s No. 22 on their Indians gear since his passing. This weekend there were so many signs of No. 22 throughout the tournament.
There were a number of weekend on-lookers who took down some of Shane’s No. 22 ocurrences which seemed to play a big part in the Indians advancing to their 5th straight State Tournament.
The No. 22 appearance started Friday night when the concession stand revenue was exactly $2,222.
Two pitchers took to the mound during the two Indians games last weekend.
Ben Boran started off the Sunday game with a 2-run home run.
No. 2 Nolan Grose came to the plate in the top of the 9th inning and with two players on base, hit a 2 ball, 2 strike pitch for a home run off Keith Meyers, a player he had never gotten a hit off in 17 previous at bats. The hit came with two outs in the inning. Nolan mentioned he did look to the sky and asked for a little help from his friends before blasting the pitch over the right field fence.
Another 2 was also mentioned by the onlookers when Nolan decided years ago to pay his respects to one of his childhood friends, Brady Hruska, who died in a boating/hunting accident approximately 10 years ago, by wearing his number 2. There is a neon green No. 2 displayed on the backstop at the field.
Before Grose hit is home run, the inning started when Nolan Wetzel worked a 2-2 count for a walk, which started the 9th inning rally.
Cannon Falls also committed two errors on balls which were hit to them but somehow one bounced over their head and one through their gloves.
It was such a fantastic game and after looking at these mysterious coincidences, you can’t help but to think divine intervention may have played a part in this weekend's tournament.
Hats off to the Waterville Indians. Just making it to State is a major accomplishment especially with the injuries which has limited a couple of their key players for much of the season.
Let’s hope the a “Never Say Die” season continues Saturday afternoon at Shakopee.