Class C (Belle Plaine): Kimball, St. Boni advances to second round - MBA (2024)

• August 17, 2024

By Eric Kraushar
Contributing Writer

Ben Johnson has been a mainstay in the line-up for the Kimball Express, including a 2017 state championship season that ended with a 6-4 win over Lake Henry in Green Isle.

Even in their ninth state appearance in 11 years, the moment never is lost.

“It’s why we still play. We have a good group of veterans who have played for a long time. As long as we can compete, we say we’re going to keep playing,” Johnson said. “Days like today, it makes it all worth it.”

Add taking a no-hitter deep into the state ballgame among Johnson’s accomplishments. Not until Luverne’s Carter Sehr singled up the middle with one out in the seventh inning did Johnson surrender a hit.

In control throughout, staked to a 7-0 lead early on, Johnson didn’t let the single derail his performance. One pitch later, a 4-6-3 double play erased the runner. He pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning to complete the day with six strikeouts and one hit allowed.

Kimball defeated Luverne 10-0 in nine innings to advance to the second round of the Class C State Tournament.

“I knew most of the game. It’s always on your mind. It’s hard not to. With the huge lead we had, giving up a single, it was no big deal, so I was able to just pitch relaxed. Pitch the way I wanted to pitch. It’s those 1-0, 2-0 games where every pitch matters,” Johnson said.”

Kimball outhit Luverne 13-1 for the game. Shuggs Hanan had a double and a triple in his first two at-bats, resulting in four runs batted in. Brooks Marquardt added a 2-run single in a four-run third inning. Up seven runs, Johnson went into cruise control.

“I’ll keep pitching until (manager Tom Marquardt) tells me I’m done,” Johnson said.

Adam Beyer capped the scoring for Kimball with a 3-run blast in the ninth inning.

Next up for the Express is a 4 p.m. date on Saturday, Aug. 24 with Foley.

“The last year or two, we’ve had some young guys come in that are real good. We have that mix of veterans and young guys. They bring a little bit different perspective to the game. And as veterans, it’s good to see that. It’s refreshing. It makes you want to keep this thing going as long as we can,” Johnson said.

ST. BONI 9, WANAMINGO 4

Only two players on the St. Boni roster born in the 1990s, none alive the last time the Saints were in the state tournament in 1989, first-time jitters were not a problem Saturday in Belle Plaine. The Saints scored in five of the first six innings, prevailing 9-4 over Wanamingo.

Michael Barnes, the oldest player on the St. Boni roster, broke open a one-run game with a two-run blast in the fifth inning. The Saints scored three runs in the frame, adding three more in the sixth inning. Hawken Hedlund plated two on a triple in the sixth inning after opening the scoring with a solo homer in the first inning.

Seth Tierney added a pair of run-scoring hits for St. Boni, which totaled 11 hits for the game.

Wanamingo matched the Saints offense early on, getting a home run from Alex Roosen in the first inning before adding a run in the fourth inning. Roosen was 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

Barnes pitched six innings, allowing two runs with five strikeouts for the win.

St. Boni will play the New Ulm Brewers at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24 in Green Isle.