Update: Burnsville Beats Maple Grove For State Baseball Title

Burnsville junior Bo Hellquist admits he felt jitters run through his body as he stepped to the plate on Wednesday, the weight of an improbable and nearly impossible comeback on his shoulders with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and the game-winning run on second base.

But he wasn’t taking the moment for granted. That’s a lesson he learned earlier in Wednesday’s Class AAA state baseball championship game at Target Field. Failing to properly run out a fly ball, coach Mick Scholl took Hellquist aside and reminded him of the Blaze’s golden rule.

“I kind of chewed his butt a little bit,” Scholl said, smiling. “That’s not how we do it. I said if he wants to hit again, that he has to show me what he’s done all year, and he came through with something very special.”

Hellquist laced a single down the right field line in the seventh, scoring two and putting the finishing touches on a six-run rally. The Blaze beat Maple Grove 6-5 to win the school’s first state baseball crown.

The moment, to Hellquist, was all or nothing.

“A lot of jitters going through my body, knowing the game relied on my shoulders,” he said. “If we lose, we’d be runners up again for the second time in a row. But if I got a hit, everybody was going to jump on me. And just knowing that everyone was going to be encouraging you and cheering you on gets you through all those jitters.”

The Blaze redeemed themselves after losing 7-5 to Eden Prairie in the title game a year ago. But things didn’t look promising for Burnsville after a Crimson offensive explosion broke a scoreless tie in the fifth.

Maple Grove (26-2) chased Burnsville starting pitcher Quinn Johnson from the game after allowing five runs in the fifth. Three of the four Crimson hits in the inning went for extra bases, and by the end of the frame the Blaze found themselves in a five-run hole.

But Scholl said his team is built to believe in one another.

“We’ve got to pick each other up,” he said. “We got here by being a team, not by being individuals.”

Pitcher Adam Lambrecht kept Maple Grove off the scoreboard the rest of the game and eventually picked up the win. He went 2 1/3 innings and allowed one hit while striking out four to pick up his second victory of the state tournament.

Meanwhile, in the bottom of the seventh, Burnsville’s (24-3) bats came to life.

The Blaze began chipping away at Maple Grove pitcher Mitchell Bauer, who allowed no runs and three hits leading into the inning.

After Burnsville cut the lead to 5-3, the Crimson intentionally walked Justin Threkeld to load the bases. But Maple Grove pitcher Jacob Schwager hit the next batter, making it a 5-4 game with Hellquist coming to the plate.

Hellquist delivered.

His two-run single down the right field line sent both Matt Stempter and Threkeld home, and prompted a black and gold celebration in the stands and on the field.

“I jumped higher than I think I’ve ever jumped in my whole life when he hit that ball,” Scholl said.

Hellquist, who redeemed himself with that hit, said it was a lesson learned.

Now, he’s a state champion.

“(Scholl) started saying you can’t take anything for granted, especially in a state championship game,” Hellquist said. “And that you’ve got to work hard, especially if it’s a state championship game, and know that you need to lay it all on the line.”

GAME STATISTICS

Maple Grove 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 — 5 7 0

Burnsville 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 — 6 8 2

Hitting leaders — Dan Motl 1-4, 1R, 1RBI; Andy Liser 2-3, 1R; Matt Stemper 2-4, 1R, 1RBI; Bo Hellquist 2-4, 2RBI; Tyler Hill, Jr. 1-2, 1RBI, 1R.

Pitching lines — Quinn Johnson 4.2  IP, 6 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K; Adam Lambrecht (W) 2.1  IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

CLASS AAA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Burnsville - Andy Lieser - outfielder

Burnsville - Tyler Hill, Jr. - outfielder

Burnsville - Quinn Johnson - pitcher

Burnsville - Bo Hellquist - designated hitter

Maple Grove - Jacob Schwager - pitcher

Maple Grove - Mitchell Bauer - pitcher

Maple Grove - Roman Collins - infielder

Maple Grove - Brady Jacobs - infielder/outfielder

Bloomington Kennedy - Zach Horn - catcher

Eden Prairie - Adam Bray - pitcher/infielder

Rochester Century - Mitchell Brown - pitcher/infielder

Stillwater Area - Pad Getchell - otufielder