Sleepy Eye wins 1A crown

By PAUL DUNLAP

Journal Sports Editor

CHASKA -- Nineteen long years.

The Sleepy Eye Indians brought home their first state championship since 1981 Friday night, shutting out Lester Prairie 4-0 to win the Class 1A tournament at Chaska Athletic Park.

Cole Deibele continued the Indians' amazing pitching throughout the tournament, yielding just three Bulldog hits while striking out seven and walking two. It was the second straight shutout in the tournament for Sleepy Eye as it blanked Ely 11-0 earlier in the day.

"It feels great," Indian coach Bruce Belseth said. "Ten years ago, we were sitting in that dugout (after a 4-3 loss to Waseca in the title game) and I know what that feeling is like. I know exactly how Lester Prairie feels, but I'll tell you what -- give all the credit in the world to those kids in black. What a day.

"More than that, what a tournament. One run given up by our pitching staff in three games? Unbelieveable."

Nerves were a big part of the first few innings as both teams had chances but couldn't capitalize. Deibele had to get out of jams in both the first and second innings, but settled down after that and gave up just one fifth-inning single. Never more dominant as in the final inning, though, when he struck out the side to end the game.

"Cole got out of some early-inning jams, but he came through it and pitched beautifully," Belseth commented. "He just got tougher and tougher as the game went on."

Sleepy Eye finally got to Lester Prairie starter Josh Eckstein, the cousin of the Indians' Jim Eckstein, in the top of the fifth. Bryce Belseth was once again the catalyst as he doubled to right to open the frame, and after a wild pitch moved him to third Loren Havemeier delivered a seeing-eye single to center to break the scoreless tie. Relief pitcher Andrew Ross then walked Mike Nachreiner and Eckstein to load the bases, and Bryan Weiss' sacrifice fly to deep center gave Sleepy Eye a 2-0 cushion as Havemeier crossed the plate.

"I've said it all year long -- one through nine we're tough," Bruce Belseth said of his lineup. "It just happened that it was (Bryce) who got us going again and got that run. It was a big start for us."

The Indians still clung to that two-run lead as they came to bat in the top of the seventh, but it didn't take Nachreiner long to change that.

Havemeier delivered a one-out single -- his third of the game -- but was able to trot home as Nachreiner crushed a 1-1 David Rehmann offering into the brush beyond the left field wall. The dugout exploded, the fans exploded, and the game was essentially over.

"What a cushion he gave us," Belseth said of his senior catcher. "It was probably his first home run of the year, but it couldn't have come at a better time."

Deibele made sure as no Bulldog touched a pitch in the bottom of the seventh. After a strike in the dirt was thrown to first, the celebration began.

Sleepy Eye ends its season with a 25-3 record.

"It's not possible," Belseth said, "but I wouldn't mind being 3-25 if those three wins came here (at state)."

NOTE: Three members of the Indian squad -- Havemeier, Deibele, and Eckstein -- were named to the U.S. Bank All-Tournament Team. Other members of the squad include Badger/Greenbush-Middle River's David Truscinski, Ely's Adam Rannels, Dover-Eyota's Adam Brandt and Travis Tritten, and Lester Prairie's Gregg Kohler, Joel Gueningsman, and Josh Eckstein.

SLEEPY EYE 000 020 2 -- 4 8 0

LESTER PRAIRIE 000 000 0 -- 0 3 2

W--Deibele, L--Eckstein. 2B--Sleepy Eye, Belseth.

SLEEPY EYE 11, ELY 0 (5)

Domination was the only way to describe it as Eckstein threw a three-hit shutout and the Indians jumped on Ely starter Jeff Richards for seven first-inning runs in the semifinal rout.

"What a great way to start a state semifinal game," Belseth said. "If you're going to be the visiting team, like we were, it's a perfect start."

The gates opened early and often as a hit and two walks quickly loaded the bases with one out. Ross Lendt was then hit in the helmet by a Richards offering to bring home the first run, and Steve Geschwind delivered a clutch two-out single that plated Eckstein and Weiss for the 3-0 lead. That would begin a string of four straight hits as Bryce Belseth, Marty Hoffman, and Havemeier all followed with RBI base hits. A throwing error by Ely catcher Chip Stromback accounted for the seventh and final run of the inning.

"We're hitting all the way through the lineup," Bruce Belseth said. "I think the biggest problem is me -- I don't let them hit enough sometimes, and I mean that because there are times when I interfere with what they're doing. If I would just leave them alone and let them hit, they'll do the job ... today's a good example."

The Timberwolves would get back-to-back hits to open the bottom of the second, but it only seemed to make Eckstein mad. The senior righthander proceeded to strike out the side to end the threat, and retired the final 12 batters he faced in the game -- ending with nine strikeouts and no walks. The last five Ely hitters all went down on strikes.

"Jim just got stronger as the game went on," Belseth said. "He was as dominant as you can be in a game like this. Just a tremendous job."

Havemeier then showed off his skills in the fourth as he reached on a bloop double to center. Eckstein then lifted a fly ball to deep right-center field for the second out of the inning, and Havemeier tagged and scored ... from second base.

"I should've sent (Havemeier) earlier in the game, too," Belseth admitted. "The ball's laying out there in left field, and I'm holding him up at third (base). Scoring from second on a fly ball shows how fast he really is."

The Indians would put the game away with three runs in the fifth. Deibele started the rally with a ringing double to left, and Geschwind's second hit of the game made it 9-0. An error on a stolen base attempt plated the 10th run of the inning, and Josh Hadley ended the scoring as his RBI single to right scored Geschwind. Sleepy Eye finished the game with 12 hits.

"This is a great group of kids," Belseth said with a smile following the game. "I'm just lucky to be a part of it."

SLEEPY EYE 700 13 -- 11 12 0

ELY 000 00 -- 0 3 2

W--Eckstein. L--Richards. 2B--Sleepy Eye, C.Deibele, Havemeier.