Esko Legion Team Headed To State

July 27

Kerry Rodd-NSO

The Esko Legion boys baseball team advanced to the Minnesota State Legion Championships with a 13-7 win over Ely in the District 8 Championship game last Sunday. Steve Lewis pitched the complete game, leading Esko to the win.

“Stevie was amazing, for a guy making just his third outing of the summer,” explained Esko coach Jeff Emanuel. “I wanted four strong innings from him and we got an outing that none of us will ever forget.”

Esko opened with a Tuesday win over Aurora and then defeated Moose Lake 15-9 on Friday. Moose Lake opened up a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but Esko rallied with five runs in the bottom of the first inning. The rally was capped off by a Mitch Reuer double.

Moose Lake answered quickly in the top of the second with a pair of runs and they then took a 7-5 lead with two more runs in the top of the fourth inning.

Trailing 8-6 and entering the bottom of the sixth inning, Esko responded with a 9-run rally that took them from a two-run deficit to a 15-8 lead and the eventual win.

“It was not one of our better games, but credit went out to the boys for staying strong and keeping the fight in them against a strong team,” commented Emanuel. “I can’t say enough about Ryan Reed who kept pitching and working hard against every batter even as his pitch count rose.”
Reed was the winning pitcher for Esko in the game.

On Saturday, Esko defeated the #3 seed, Nashwauk-Keewatin, who had knocked off the #2 seed Cook County earlier in the week. Esko won 7-3 as Mitch Reuer took the pitching win while Jamie Stokes and Steve Lewis got things started offensively in the first inning.

“The game became a pitcher’s duel and Reuer was on his game,” recounted Emanuel. “Mitch was mixing and matching and keeping them off balance. His command got better and better as the game went on. That is a typical Reuer outing. If you don’t get to him early you will not get him at all.”

Esko fell behind 3-1 in the top of the sixth when N-K capitalized on an Eskomo error, but Cody Townsend led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer, which seemed the to energize the offense. Townsend’s bomb was followed by three straight singles by Ryan Vang, Stokes and Lewis and then Reuer drove in a pair of runs and Brett Johnson bunted for a base hit. By the time the dust cleared Esko had taken a 7-3 lead and then Reuer finished things off in the seventh to pick up the pitching win.

With a perfect 3-0 record heading into Sunday’s championship, the Eskomos would need to lose twice to Ely in order to not qualify for the state tournament. Ely made things interesting by beating Esko 4-3 in the first game setting up the final showdown in which Esko won 13-7.

“Things were looking good for us in the first game,” recalled Emanuel. “We had All-State pitcher Matt Tengesdal on the mound and we were facing the #5 seed, but the defending District Champions.”

Ely had avoided an early exit from the tournament by winning three straight games after having lost their opening game. Wins against Aurora, Deer River and Cook County put Ely back in the championship round.

Esko led 3-1 in the sixth inning, but in the top of the inning the Timberwolves rallied for three runs and a 4-3 lead and eventually Ely held on for the win. Tengesdal lost on the mound despite giving up just 5 hits in seven innings.

The win by Ely set up the final elimination game and Esko responded with a strong performance. “Going into the game the boys were upset and they knew they did not come up with timely hitting in the first game,” explained Emanuel. “We blew a chance with Matt [Tengesdal] because he threw an absolute gem. We had 30 minutes to think about it and not too many kids left the dugout. The mood was not good. Everything was now even and the pressure was on us.”

Things opened up for Esko in the top of the third when Tengesdal, Stokes, Reuer and Vang all recorded hits and Esko plated four runs as they took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the third.

Esko’s big inning came in the fourth when they scored 5 runs with two outs. Tengesdal added his first career homer and the Eskomos were headed to the state tournament as Lewis pitched all seven innings and gave up just 8 hits.

“Even though we have never been to state, the team acted like they have been there every year,” said Emanuel. “The mood was different. Seeing the boys hold that big trophy up made you realize they deserved it. Since 5th grade these boys have played together and they have knocked on the door several times, but they never got the chance to walk through that door. Well, they opened the door and they can now walk through proudly.”

Esko will leave for the state tournament on Thursday morning and they will play their first game at 4:00 versus Pelican Rapids in LeSuer.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at Kerry@northlandsportsonline.com