--by Brett Kruschke 

Belle Plaine buried one ghost last weekend but got a double portion of another.

The Tigers kept Morristown at arm’s length on Saturday, 6-3, making up for last year’s season-ending loss in these same Region 6C playoffs.  In a state qualifying contest Sunday at Jordan, the Tiger Train scored three runs in the first inning and took a 5-3 lead to the bottom of the sixth. Things collapsed from there, resulting in a 10-run loss that continues Jordan’s long-running chokehold on the locals.

Jordan clinched a state tourney berth with the comeback victory, meaning last year’s Class C champs will return to defend their title. They will be joined by Gaylord and its electric minor-league lefty, Brody Rodning, thanks to a 4-1 win over St. Peter.

That means the RVL’s Tigers and Saints and 13-60 League representatives Morristown, St. Clair, Eagle Lake and Waterville will all vie for the third and final state tournament berth from Region 6C.

Belle Plaine will play at 1:30 pm Saturday in Blue Earth against the winner of Eagle Lake and Waterville. If the Tigers win, they will play again at 4 pm in Blue Earth against the last team standing from the other side of the loser’s bracket. Two wins means a trip to the state tournament in Springfield and Milroy; anything less means the end of the crazy Covid campaign.

Your roving reporter will be on the scene to tweet updates for whoever might not make the trip to Blue Earth. Go to Twitter.com/bptigertown, or, visit bptigertown.com and keep an eye on the Twitter widget at the top right side of the home page. Viva Los Tigros!

Morristown 3 @ BP 6 (Saturday, August 8) - Box Score

The Tigers had a bitter taste in their mouths all offseason after last year’s 2-1, season-ending loss to the Morries. They responded by getting after it right away with a run in the first, yet left the bases loaded.

The heart of the Tiger order went back to work in the third inning, scoring three runs. Jake Mercado’s RBI single was followed by a two-run single from Pat Schultz, who drove in the Tigers’ first run on a bases-loaded walk.

Belle Plaine took a 5-0 lead to the 8th when the Morries awoke, scoring three runs off Tiger hurler Brody Curtiss. The Tiger right-hander ended the inning – and his day on the hill – with his 11th strikeout of the evening.

Curtiss also delivered an RBI double in the home half of the 8th, providing the final margin of victory. Curtiss not only led the way on the mound but with the bat as well, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs, an RBI and a walk. Josh Terrio aided the attack with two hits.

Jared Miller worked a 1-2-3 9th, picking up a pair of punchouts and the save. 

BP 9 @ Jordan 19 (Sunday, August 9 – 8 innings) - Box Score

Belle Plaine’s long and current losing streak to Jordan has been mentioned in this space a few times in recent years. Going forward, it shall simply be referred to as “The Streak.” Consider it a statistical speakeasy: if you ask the right person, you can still find out where it’s at.

Playing at the home of the defending state champions, the Tigers used five hits in the top of the first inning to score three runs. Aiden Ladd, Jake Mercado and Jack Kruger all delivered run-scoring hits – with Ladd’s a two-bagger. The Brewers responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first off Tiger starter Derek Dahlke.

Jordan tied the score in the second inning thanks to an error and the scored stayed put until the fourth, when Ladd lifted his team-leading third circuit clout of the season. Two innings later, Dahlke belted a solo shot of his own and the Tiger faithful started getting that funny feeling in their belly.

Almost before a person could tell a friend that the Tigers might have something brewing in Jordan did the floodgates open – not the skies, which increasingly threatened as the evening wore on – but the Brewer bats. Eight runs crossed home before the bottom of the sixth was complete.

The Tigers didn’t give up, scoring twice in the 7th and 8th innings. Ladd even represented the go-ahead run with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, but he was retired on a pop-up.

A nightmarish bottom of the eighth followed, with Jordan iScoring seven more runs – each more painful than the last – to put the Tigers out of their seemingly-sudden misery an inning early via the 10-run rule.

Dahlke worked a season-high 5.1 innings on the mound, absorbing seven runs (five earned) and the loss. He was followed by Miller, Colton Kerkow, Kruger and Terrio.

Dahlke paced the Tigers’ 12-hit attack with three, while fellow long-baller Ladd – who drove in three runs – and Tyler O’Brien collected multiple knocks. Curtiss drove in two runs and had a hit, as every spot in the Tiger order but one made a dent in the hit column.

--by Brett Kruschke 

The Belle Plaine Tigers came out of the gate strong in Sunday’s playoff opener, using a seven-run first inning to overpower Wells in a shortened affair, 14-4.

According to seeding, the only upset in last weekend’s Region 6C Tournament was No. 7 seed Morristown’s 8-3 win over Minnesota Lake, the No. 2 seed from the 13-60 League. There was one near-upset, as No. 6 seed Arlington took a 3-1 lead to the 9th before falling, 4-3, in No. 3 Waterville’s last at-bat.

On Saturday at 6 pm, the RVL’s No. 3-seeded Tigers will host the upset-minded Morries – the team that ended its 2019 campaign with a 2-1 setback at Jordan in last year’s Region 6C Tourney. Last year’s Tigers were denied their 20th win of the season, finishing 19-10; this year’s half-season rendition sits in much the same position, seeking their 10th win (9-5).

Win or lose, the Tiger Train will also play on Sunday. A win over Morristown would bring on the winner of Jordan – St. Clair, while a loss to the Morries would result in facing the winner of Blue Earth – Henderson and a longer row to hoe. With so much yet to be determined, including game times and locations, stay tuned to bptigertown.com or our social media channels on Twitter and Facebook (bptigertown).

Wells 4 @ BP 14 (Sunday, August 2 – 7 innings) - Box Score

Brody Curtiss, the bonafide ace of the Tiger staff this season, took the ball from manager Matt Ruehling and posted a quiet first inning. The Tiger bats were anything but in the bottom of the inning, batting around before an out was recorded while hanging a seven-spot on the awestruck visitors. The highlight of the first frame was a 3-run homer from Aiden Ladd, who as the No. 3 hitter also made the last out of the first inning.

A two-out triple scored a pair of runs to put Wells on the board in the third, but the home-half of the stanza witnessed another 3-run tater from Aiden Ladd – this one right inside the left-field foul pole – his second of the day and season. The latter circuit clout extended the Tiger lead to 11-2, allowing the locals to cruise the rest of the way.

Curtiss, who worked five innings and allowed a pair of unearned runs, improved to 3-0 this season with a sparkling 0.68 ERA.  He fanned four Wildcats without a walk, while Jared Miller added two more punchouts over his two frames.

Ladd and Jamie O’Brien led the Tiger parade with two hits apiece; seven others contributed one. Aside from Ladd’s six RBI, Curtiss drove in three while Pat Schultz had a pair. The locals were plunked by a pitch eight times, with Tyler O’Brien enduring three beanings. Derek Dahlke and Jonny Vinkemeier were hit twice.

--by Brett Kruschke & Matt Schultz

In the twinkling of an eye, the regular season came to a close on Sunday and the playoffs are set to begin. On the strength of a 7-5 record in the River Valley League – 8-5 overall – Belle Plaine has earned the league’s No. 3 seed and will host the Wells Wildcats (No. 6 seed, 13/60 League) on Sunday at 2 pm.

The Tigers’ following game will take place on Saturday, August 8, with all other information yet to be determined. The finalized, filled-in Region 6C bracket is expected to be available sometime on July 29.

There was big news this week when it was announced that New Ulm, the primary host site for the 2020 State Tournament, will no longer host any games due to a vote by its City Council. Springfield remains as a state tournament host site, but the Minnesota Baseball Association state board will soon decide how and who will fill the gap for New Ulm.

Over this past week, Team Tigertown played two one-run games – a win over Gaylord and a loss to Jordan – while also beating Henderson twice: once by a dozen runs and another time by forfeit. It’s the first forfeit this ball writer can recall involving our hometown team since becoming associated with it in 1991.

BP 2 @ Gaylord 1 (Tuesday, July 21) - Box Score

Belle Plaine traveled to Gaylord on a beautiful night for baseball to kick off the first of four games in six days. El Tigre struck in the first when a two-out walk to Aiden Ladd was followed by a stolen base and then an RBI single by Dylan Kahle. A Jake Mercado solo home run in the fourth was BP’s final tally but proved to be enough for starting pitcher Brody Curtiss.

Curtiss faced the minimum number of batters through three innings before yielding his only run in the fourth. The Islanders’ minor-league stalwart, Brody Rodning, came on for the fifth frame, so the locals knew Curtiss would need to be near-perfect the rest of the way.

In the sixth inning things looked hairy, as Gaylord got the first two batters on base to bring up their feared No. 3-hitter. You may recall last game versus the Islanders, they bunted in the same situation but it didn't work out. Much to the delight of those without access to the internet and a bunting probability chart, Gaylord’s 3-hole hitter squared around to bunt once again.

Curtiss pounced on the ball and was able to get the lead runner out at third base, showing the crowd that a bunt is not guaranteed to work and you should never do it. Two consecutive strikeouts later and the inning was over.

In the eighth, Curtiss faced runners at first and third with one out but struck out the Nos. 4- and 5-hitters to escape the jam. Curtiss finished the game with a dozen strikeouts while scattering seven hits. Tigertown mustered a meager four knocks, with Derek Dalhke and Jonny Vinkemeier also contributing.

Henderson 1 @ BP 13 (Wednesday, July 22 – 7 innings) - Box Score

The Tigers and the City of Belle Plaine were honored to host the final leg of FOX9’s “Town Ball Tour” for the 2020 campaign, meaning that TV personalities and camera crews were at Tiger Park – and about Tigertown – from 6:15 am to about 11 pm. All in all, the promotion was a rousing success both for highlighting our beloved borough and for putting an all-important win on the left side of the ledger.

In hopes that it appears in the “Thirty Years Ago This Week” column in 2050, we’ll take an extra paragraph to note that Dave “Greek” Wagner began the interviews from Tiger Park at 6:45 AM. Mayor Chris Meyer was next on location from the Aquatic Center while his father, former mayor and MBA Hall of Famer Gerry “Mize” Meyer, shared a sliver of his wisdom from the downtown plaza. Microphone magnet Pat Schultz wrapped up the morning segments with a pair of interviews back at the ballpark.

The Gray Tigers, which manager Zip Zellmann really should be writing about on a weekly basis, started off the field festivities at 5 pm against the Jordan Millers. While a late Tiger error submarined a surefire victory and resulted in a 3-3 tie due to time constraints, “Greek” greased the skids for his own plaque unveiling later that night by bringing the house down with a clean pinch-hit single in the sixth inning.

Greek Wagner with a big base hit for the Gray Tigers in the 6th inning. 🥳@BPGrayTigers pic.twitter.com/t1F4QQne1Z

— Jack Gill (@JackGill3333) July 22, 2020

As for the town team, they jumped on Henderson early and never looked back, scoring 13 runs in their first four at-bats – including seven tallies in the third inning. Curtiss and Aiden Ladd both ripped three hits, while Tyler O’Brien had two. Derek Dahlke fanned three men in four innings to pick up the win.

A wonderful crowd that featured many new faces – including Belle Plaine’s newly-crowned Royal Court from the Bar-B-Q Days That Wasn’t – displayed great zeal for the game and an enjoyment for the great game of baseball. Tiger Alumni proved difficult to corral but also graced the crowd of local celebrities.

Jordan 5 @ BP 4 (Sunday, July 26) - Box Score

Facing the defending Class C state champions, the Tigers entered with a jarring mark of futility against their Hwy. 169 neighbors: 17 straight losses and setbacks in 26 of 27 and 31 of 33. But as Ellen Griswold once said, “With each day there’s fresh hope.”

Things looked immediately ominous as Joe Lucas opened the game with a leadoff circuit clout. Jordan added another tally before Belle Plaine first came to bat, but the Tigers scored on Jake Mercado’s first inning single although back-to-back strikeouts left runners stranded at second and third.

In the fifth inning it was Mercado again, belting a no-doubt homer – his second of the week and team-leading second of the season – cutting Jordan’s lead to 3-2. In the seventh inning it was Guess Who? – Mercado – driving in the tying run in the form of Tyler O’Brien with a ground ball to second base.

LONG GONE! 💥⚾️ @Jake_Mercado11 with his team-leading second home run of the season -- a solo shot -- to trim the @jordanbrewers lead to 3-2, now after five innings. pic.twitter.com/vJjdlGseFF

— BELLE PLAINE TIGERS (@bptigertown) July 27, 2020

Tied 3-3, Lucas started the ninth inning with a double and one batter later, scored the go-ahead run on Devin Ulibarri’s single. With two outs, Scott Hollingsworth clubbed an insurance-run long ball – a run that soon proved to be decisive.

After Joe Lucas opened the 9th with a double, one out later Devin Ulibarrri delivered a go-ahead single to give @jordanbrewers a 4-3 lead T9. pic.twitter.com/AmfhZS1Nf1

— BELLE PLAINE TIGERS (@bptigertown) July 27, 2020

Chase Emmers reached by error to open the home half of the ninth and scored on Tyler O’Brien’s sacrifice fly. After a two-out walk to Curtiss, the Tigers had their man, Mercado, representing the winning run at the plate. A ground ball to second base, however, ended the game.

Starter Jared Miller (5 IP, 3 R) and Colton Kerkow (4 IP, 2 R) split the mound duties for Belle Plaine.

--by Brett Kruschke, Matt Ruehling & Matt Schultz

FOX-9 KMSP-TV will be at Tiger Park all day Wednesday, July 22, broadcasting live segments with reporter Shayne Wells at 6:45 AM, 7:35 AM, 8:40 AM and 9:30 AM as well as with reporter Dawn Mitchell at 5 PM, 6 PM, 7 PM, 9 PM and 10 PM as part of their “Town Ball Tour.” The segments will feature interviews with various supporters of Tiger Baseball from the ballpark and various locations around Tigertown.

There are two games scheduled at Tiger Park on Wednesday: the Gray Tigers will face the Jordan Millers at 5 PM while the town team will take on Henderson at 7:30 PM. One admission fee covers both games! And there will be no admission charge for former Tigers, as part of the Tiger Alumni Night festivities – the highlight being the unveiling of Dave “Greek” Wagner’s new Hall of Fame plaque on the west side of the grandstand.

Little Leaguers are invited to wear their uniform tops and chase foul balls as part of the annual Little League Night promotion, and they may also claim a free hot dog at the concession stand.

The Tigers played at Gaylord last night; visit bptigertown.com or BPTigertown on Facebook or Twitter for the result and details. Saturday’s game at Henderson has been switched to a 6 PM contest in Belle Plaine; Henderson will serve as the home team. On Sunday, come out again at 6 PM for Fan Appreciation Night against the defending Class C champion Jordan Brewers – already the last game of the regular season. There will be giveaways galore!  

This past week was a hairy one for our striped warriors, narrowly avoiding a three-game losing skid thanks to a late comeback victory (11-10) in extra innings against Arlington on Sunday. Previous to that, the Tigers scored just two runs in losses to St. Peter and Le Sueur. El Tigre is 5-4 (4-4 RVL) on the season.

BP 2 @ St. Peter 6 (Tuesday, July 14) - Box Score

The Tigers jumped out to an early lead against the Saints in the first inning when returning Tiger Aiden Ladd laced an RBI double and later scored on a sac fly from his former college teammate, Derek Dahlke. That’s where the offensive highlights for the hometown nine end, however, as the Saints scored the last six runs of the game. The Tigers stranded nine baserunners.

Jared Miller started on the mound and scattered eight hits across five innings. The Saints scored twice in the fifth frame and added three insurance runs in the eighth to salt away the victory. Ladd, Brody Curtiss and Jake Mercado all tallied two hits for the Tiger Train.

Le Sueur 7 @ BP 2 (Wednesday, July 15) - Box Score

Tyler O’Brien, the everyday center fielder for the Tigers, got the starting nod on the hill against Le Sueur. He was opposed by cagey veteran Brandon Culbert, who prefers to finish what he starts. O’Brien gave the boys a chance by allowing three runs (two earned) in five-plus innings, but Culbert would not be outdone and did indeed go the distance. He punched out eight batters, although the Tigers took out a bit of the sting by breaking up the shutout in the ninth inning.

Terrio, with two hits, continued to swing a hot bat to lead an otherwise-toothless Tiger attack. Mercado (a triple), Jonny Vinkemeier (a double), Curtiss and Andrew Fisel had the other knocks for Belle Plaine.

Arlington 10 @ BP 11 (Sunday, July 19 – 10 innings) - Box Score

The Arlington A's came to town on what should have been the final day of Bar-B-Q Days. In honor, both teams threw the ball around like they were playing “Knock Down the Clown” at the midway.

Sparing you the heretofore gory details, the Tigers started showing signs of life in the eighth inning but left the bases jammed to remain in a 10-6 deficit. In the ninth, the locals made two quick outs before Jake Mercado’s two-run single trimmed it to 10-8. Pat Schultz drove in a run, making it 10-9, before Josh Terrio knotted the score with a solid base hit. With the bases loaded, rookie Jamie O’Brien hit a sharp ground ball to shortstop that just nipped the Tiger baserunner at second base. On to extra innings …

Tiger pitcher Colton Kerkow said “two can play that game,” loading the bases with A’s in the top of the 10th before wriggling out of the frame without allowing a run. Not much later, Tyler O’Brien – who collected four hits – scored on a sacrifice fly from Mercado, completing the improbable comeback win.

Chase Emmers started on the mound for Belle Plaine and didn't have his usual stuff, going 2.2 innings while getting torched for eight runs (five earned). Pat Schultz worked the next 3.1 frames, giving up only an unearned run. Jonny Vinkemeier chucked three stanzas (one unearned run) before yielding to Kerkow.

O’Brien’s big night included two doubles and three runs scored, while his rookie brother Jamie added two hits. Brody Curtiss also chipped in a pair, reaching base five times thanks to three errors. Pat Schultz reached base five times as well, drawing four walks and his one big hit.

After an IBB to D. Dahlke to load the bases, a sac fly from @Jake_Mercado11 is the winner! Tigers (11-14-5)!scored 4 runs in the 9th -- all with 2 outs -- and 1 in the 10th for the 11-10 win over Arlington (10-10-2). WP- Kerkow pic.twitter.com/l8PEhaF7EM

— BELLE PLAINE TIGERS (@bptigertown) July 20, 2020

--by Brett Kruschke, Matt Schultz & Matt Ruehling

It was a good week for your town Tigers, despite falling to Jordan for the umpteenth time in a row. Sandwiched around that loss was a dramatic comeback victory over Gaylord and a business-like triumph at Le Sueur.

“It’s getting late early out here,” as Yogi Berra once said, as the Tigers (3-2 RVL) enter the stretch run after tussling at St. Peter (2-1) last night (July 14) in a key matchup. The standings for the other RVL squads: Jordan (5-0), Gaylord (4-2), Le Sueur (2-3), Arlington (2-4) and Henderson (0-6).

Tonight (July 15) at 7:30 pm our boys are back at the friendly confines of Tiger Park as Sunday’s foe, Le Sueur, returns the favor. On Sunday at 6 pm the opponent will be Arlington, whom Belle Plaine bopped 11-6 on July 1. Lastly, Gaylord will seek revenge when Ruehling’s Wreckers hit the road on Tuesday (7:30 pm).

The 2019 #FOX9TownBallTour schedule has been released! See you this summer! https://t.co/z0O5qrILjk @ArlingtonAsMN @csspringers @HLOrphans @GlencoeBrewers @NUBrewCrew @WasecaBraves @chanredbirds pic.twitter.com/M2sdWCtyeZ

— FOX 9 (@FOX9) May 23, 2019

Although we usually only preview a week’s worth of games at a time, mark your calendar for Wednesday, July 22 for a Tiger baseball doubleheader. Belle Plaine will be part of FOX 9’s “Town Ball Tour” when it hosts Henderson at 7:30 pm, but the 35-and-older Gray Tigers will play the Jordan Millers at 5 pm in part so that FOX 9 will have some live (if not slower) action as part of that hour’s newscast. FOX 9 television celebrities will be in and out of Tiger Park all day and night long, with the park being featured at various points during the station’s newscasts.

Also coming together on this memorable evening is the now-annual Tiger Alumni Night – there will be no game, but all alumni are invited to attend – as Dave “Greek” Wagner is honored with the unveiling of his Hall of Fame plaque amongst the other Tiger immortals. It will also be Little League Night, as Greek gives the little chippers something to dream towards.

Gaylord 4 @ BP 5 (Tuesday, July 7) - Box Score

Gaylord came to town for a mid-week tilt and brought current minor-league pitcher Brody Rodning, a member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization, who is out of work at the moment due to Covid-19 and the cancellation of the MiLB season. This was as close as most of your Tigers would ever get to professional baseball, and Rodning showed why. He struck out 13 batters in five innings, yielding just two hits. Despite your local ball club being on the wrong end of Rodning’s reckoning, most baseball enthusiasts enjoyed watching a pitcher of his magnitude work.

With the Islanders up 3-0 in the fifth, Gaylord got their first two hitters on base and brought up their feared No. 3 hitter, Erik Goetsch. Much to the surprise and delight of the Tiger dugout, the Islanders laid down a sacrifice bunt to give away an out. Even more surprising was when they completed a suicide squeeze with their No. 4 hitter to score one run, giving away another out. One out later, the local nine had escaped what could've been a big inning – instead allowing only gave up one run. With Rodning done pitching after the fifth, this proved to be important later in the game.

Despite quiet bats for most of the night – including a total of 19 strikeouts – in the eighth inning the Tigers scored four runs thanks to some timely hits. In the bottom of the ninth, two quick outs made it look like El Tigre would be heading for extra innings. But a base hit by Brody Curtiss, followed by a stolen base, led to a walk-off double from Derek Dahlke to complete the comeback and send Tiger fans home happy.

The locals tallied nine hits, with Curtiss and Dahlke each belting three. Dahlke started on the mound and went 2.2 innings, giving up three runs (two earned). Andrew Fisel threw the next 4.1 frames, giving up only one run. Colton Kerkow grabbed the win by throwing the final two innings without giving up a run.

BP 4 @ Jordan 12 (Friday, July 10) - Box Score

The Tigers traveled seven miles up the Highway 169 corridor to take on the defending state champions, the Jordan Brewers. Fireworks erupted in the top of the first inning when Tyler O’Brien smacked a home run on the first pitch of the game. Unfortunately the flame was quickly smothered as Jordan bounced back with five runs in the bottom of the first inning, aided by five Tiger errors.

Belle Plaine used seven pitchers to get through the game, with Tiger rookie Andrew Fisel suffering his first loss of the season. Offensively, Tyler O’Brien paced the attack with three hits. Dylan Kahle, Jared Miller, Brody Curtiss and Pat Schultz all notched one, as well.

BBP 3 @ Le Sueur 1 (Sunday, July 12) - Box Score

The Tigers hoped to get back on the winning track as they traveled to Le Sueur for a rare RVL afternoon battle. The game was scoreless into the fifth inning when Tyler O’ Brien reached base on a two-out double before getting knocked in by ageless veteran Pat Schultz.

The teams then traded zeros until the ninth inning, when Jared Miller came up clutch with a two out two-run single. Curtiss took the ball and was magnificent, scattering four hits across 8 2/3 innings while not allowing a run until the ninth. Kerkow came in and shut the door on the Braves late rally, getting a strikeout to earn the save. Miller stayed hot with three hits and O’Brien was right on his tail, with two.

--by Brett Kruschke

The Town Tigers took care of business at Arlington last Wednesday, coming away with an 11-6 victory. The decision evened their league record at 1-1 while pushing the overall mark to 2-1.

Up next for the Tigertown Express is hosting Gaylord on Tuesday, July 7

Starting on Friday, the Tigers will roar back to action with nine games in 17 days. The next three contests, however, are all on the road: Friday at Jordan (7:30 PM), Sunday at Le Sueur (2 PM) and Tuesday at St. Peter (7:30 PM).

BP 11 @ Arlington 6 (Wednesday, July 1) - Box Score

Jared Miller was handed the baseball by manager Matt Ruehling and proved to be an effective tool both with a ball and bat in his hand. Miller, who has pitched in all three games this season, started the season with three hitless frames at Green Isle.

The right-hander took a 3-0 lead to the bottom of the third inning at Arlington before the score was soon tied, thanks in part to a fielding error. The Tigers got those three runs back immediately in the fourth, with Miller collecting the half-inning’s lone hit.

Miller tossed another goose egg in the fourth inning before turning it over to Colton Kerkow, who went the rest of the way. The rookie right-hander ran into some trouble in the ninth inning before finishing things off, registering six strikeouts on the evening.

The Tigers were hit by a pitch seven times – enough to make even former-Tiger Dave Kreft blush. Miller led the way with three safeties while Tyler O’Brien collected a pair. Cleanup hitter Jake Mercado reached base in all five plate appearances, including a rare hit-by-pitch hat trick. Jonny Vinkemeier was also plunked twice.

--by Brett Kruschke & Colin Schultz

In this delayed and turbulent season, the Belle Plaine Tigers waited nine days since its season-opening victory against Green Isle before taking the field a second time. The locals ultimately disappointed against St. Peter on Friday, losing 4-3 at home in a second straight one-run decision.

Team Tigertown was set to entertain Arlington on Sunday night but the game was postponed to a date yet to be determined. The Tigers will try again Wednesday, traveling to Arlington for a 7:30 pm first pitch before taking off the rest of the Independence Day weekend.

A July logjam awaits, as our boys are hoping to play 11 league games in a 20-day span. What could go wrong?! Perhaps Gray Tigers manager Zip Zellmann will have to get his ol’ slingshot loose and sign a short-term contract to help out the squad.

St. Peter 4 @ Tigers 3 (Friday, June 28)

Friday night’s game was one for the history books. In the midst of a global pandemic, Belle Plainians still showed up in droves to support America’s favorite pastime. Due to the virus, many precautions were taken such as social distancing and the selling of only prepackaged food and drink items at the concession stand.

The Tigers led 1-0 through three innings but the Saints broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth with a pair of runs, including the game-winner. Pitching for the Tigers was Brody Curtiss, Jared Miller, and Colton Kerkow.

Belle Plaine put up a fight and made several solid defensive plays, such as an out at home plate by dependable catcher Pat Schultz, who seems to get older – I mean, more experienced – with each passing season. Just kidding, he’s still got it. (We’re cousins, so I’m allowed to tease him once in a while.)

Throughout the ballgame, BP scraped together some runs but also hindered its cause by issuing a fair amount of walks. Overall it was not a bad game, but it is still early in this very unique season. The Tigers are taking it one game at a time and hope to be able to continue to safely play the sport they love for the rest of the summer.

--by Brett Kruschke

The Belle Plaine Tigers town team, whose season was originally scheduled to start on May 1, finally got to take the field last Wednesday on a glorious evening in Green Isle. Instead of serving as the 14th game of the season, however, the locals departed Irish Yard with a 1-0 mark after a satisfying 7-6 victory.

The culprit for the season’s delay, of course, has been concern over the COVID-19 virus. A litany of guidelines put forth by the State of Minnesota and instituted by the Minnesota Baseball Association are in place for players and fans – and will be for the rest of the season. They are available in full at MNBaseball.org and will also be read several times per game over the public address system.

The River Valley League’s seven Class C teams will play a rejiggered 12-game schedule. Team Tigertown will open with a pair of games this weekend at Tiger Park: 7:30 pm on Friday against St. Peter, and 6 pm Sunday against Arlington. Promotions previously in place have been scuttled – at least for this weekend.

Season tickets will not be offered this season, considering there will be just six regular-season home games. Single-game ticket prices are $4 for ages 18-64, $2 for ages 12-17 and 65-plus, and no charge for ages 11 and under. Former board members: simply identify yourself at the pass gate for free entrance.

In case you forgot on purpose, Matt Ruehling’s squad is coming off a 19-10 season (10-4 RVL) that ended with a 2-1 loss to Morristown, in Jordan, in Region 6C play last August 10. There are a good number of new faces in Tigertown this season, but we will save the roster review for a later date and time.

“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and that could be again. Oh, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come.” – Terence Mann (James Earl Jones), Field of Dreams

BP 7 @ Green Isle 6 – Wednesday, June 17 - Box Score
BELLE PLAINE HERALD PHOTOS

The first game of the season came together quickly once teams were given the go-ahead, and the Tigers and their fans couldn’t have fared much better than to open the “COVID campaign” at Irish Yard, Green Isle’s beautiful and cozy ballpark.

Manager Ruehling used a plethora of rookies throughout the contest, with newcomer Dylan Kahle – nephew of 1991 Tiger Rookie of the Year candidate Terry Kahle – bouncing a single up the middle for an early 1-0 lead.

#WelcomeToTigertown Dylan Kahle -- the rookie's first town-team at-bat is a single up the middle, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead over @GI_Irish now after 1 1/2 innings. 🐅✨ pic.twitter.com/JnVl86hrDL

— BELLE PLAINE TIGERS (@bptigertown) June 18, 2020

Pitching was the name of the game for Belle Plaine through five innings, as starter Jared Miller (three innings) and his brother Josh Terrio (two innings) didn’t allow a run or a hit. Miller used the lumber in making an additional contribution, plating a pair on a sixth-inning triple for a 3-0 lead.

The first pitch of Colton Kerkow’s Tiger career in the bottom of the sixth inning was laced for a hit, and the Irish scored two times before the frame was over. The Tigers grabbed back a run in the top of the seventh before the Irish threatened again, but the inning ended when left fielder Josh Terrio hosed a runner at third base.

Despite the first defensive chance of the season going right through our shortstop’s legs, the game was marked by terrific Tiger defense. Center fielder Tyler O’Brien had people talking both during and after the game, coming up with three diving catches.

El Tigre felt pretty comfortable after two ninth-inning runs extended their advantage to 7-3, but every run proved to be needed. Derek Dahlke worked the bottom of the ninth inning and did his best Zac Dahlke impression, allowing three runs before “tsssk-ing” the tying run at third base as the game ended with a strikeout.

TIGERS WIN! @ddahlke754 slams the screen door shut in the 9th, allowing 3 runs while stranding the tying run at third for a 7️⃣-6️⃣ victory at @GI_Irish. @tylerobrien05 3 diving catches. ‼️

BP 7-7-2 🐅
GI 6-5-1 ☘️#Rookiepalooza for the Tigers and a nice #COVIDcrowd 🦠 pic.twitter.com/G99XAANi5E

— BELLE PLAINE TIGERS (@bptigertown) June 18, 2020

According to the air-tight bookkeeping of Matt Schultz, players qualifying for their “Welcome to Tigertown” moments included Kerkow (RBI, 1.0 IP), Jack Kruger (two hits, RBI), Garrett Boblitt (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R), Jamie O’Brien (doing his best Brett Kruschke impersonation) and Joey Burgemeister (walk).

Derek Dahlke, in his defense, reached base in his last four at-bats with three walks and a single. Miller and Kruger both recorded multiple-hit efforts.

From Belle Plaine Herald:

As COVID-19 continues to shut down beloved events around the world, the Belle Plaine Baseball Association and its associated teams, like the Belle Plaine Tigers town team, remain on ice eager for some semblance of a season to get underway.

The downtime does not mean, however, that work at Tiger Park will wait for the governor’s orders. The infield and outfield grass continues to grow; the ivy lining the park's perimeter continues to need maintenance;  the latex paint covering the grandstand continues to incrementally peel from the chemically weather-treated wood.

For Johnny Miller who, along with Joe Huber, maintains Tiger Park, not much has changed since COVID-19 began causing widespread shutdowns. Many are likely to come to the conclusion that Miller’s efforts are part of a selfless attitude, but Miller says he’s just doing his job.

“It keeps me out of trouble,” Miller said. “It’s just something to do. I don’t fish anymore.”

Now despite a lack of games taking place at the park, Miller and Huber continue to  mow the field’s grass about every four or five days.

Beyond the routine improvements, the association has been using the quiet time to make larger scale improvements as well.  A new batting cage became a new addition to the field recently. The association added fences 20 or so feet in length in front of both dugouts, both for safety and to be a place for players to rest, according to Pat Schultz of the association.

Additionally, the association is making plans to install a 90-foot safety net in front of the fan section on the first base line.

Of course, the association would rather spend their time participating in baseball games than constructing, Schultz said, but without a green light from the state, amateur baseball associations around the state like Belle Plaine’s are left without an outlet.

Schultz remains cautiously optimistic that some form of season may take shape because adult players are able to be flexible with dates, and he says the Belle Plaine town team would be happy to play a truncated season with a start date as late as July.

“Everyone’s willing to play and most people are pretty sick of this,” Schultz said. “As soon as we find out we’re ready to play, we’ll play the next day.”

With town team playoffs being set for August, Schultz, who also coaches the Belle Plaine High School baseball team, says a month of games would be more than enough time to sort out rankings and determine postseason brackets, so he and the rest of the association will keep their ear to the ground for updates from the Minnesota Baseball Association and the governor’s office.

For now, some town team players continue to get pitching and batting practice and independent workouts in.

But where town team players have the ability to be flexible with dates, high school players have not been as fortunate. On Saturday, May 9, the Minnesota American Legion announced that Legion baseball, which Schultz says would have stood in as a proxy season for many high school players, will not take place this summer.

The cancellation of two abutting seasons, the high school and Legion baseball seasons,  will mean that players will be away from the sport for a year or more.

“You just kind of worry that kids will miss over a year of a sport and not ever come back to it,” Schultz said. “That’s kind of what I worry about. I hope we don’t lose kids.”

“I hope kids don’t lose a passion for it,” he later added.

The town team state baseball tournament set to take place in New Ulm is yet to be called off, and the Belle Plaine Baseball Association continues to echo the state association’s sentiments that they want Gov. Tim Walz to allow a baseball season to take place. As of Monday,  May 11, the state association was awaiting a reply from the governor’s office regarding an open letter they submitted calling for the season to be allowed.