Hopkins Legion Stays Alive, Tops Burnsville At State

Through seven innings, everything pointed toward Burnsville knocking the Hopkins American Legion Post 320 baseball team out of the Minnesota State Legion tournament on Friday.

Joey Brettingen changed that.

Brettingen slashed a two-run double to right-center field in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game, then a bases loaded wild pitch sent Hopkins past Burnsville 4-3 and on to Saturday at the state tournament in Eden Prairie.

“We just started to get clutch hits there in the end,” Brettingen said. “Somehow it worked out and we won the game. A good come from behind win.”

Hopkins fell in its first game on Friday, falling in the first round to Fergus Falls 10-5 in 10 innings. Post 320 rallied from a 5-2 deficit to force extra innings bout couldn’t hold Fergus Falls’ offense in the 10th.

Hopkins faces Albert Lea on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Eden Prairie High School.

It seemed like more of the same against Burnsville, as the Cobras held the lead from the first inning through the bottom of the eighth thanks to runs in the first, fifth and seventh innings. Meanwhile, Cobras starting pitcher Brian Vanderwoude allowed one run through seven innings and looked well on his way toward victory.

But in the eighth with one out, Michael Larson and Kyle Dalton each singled to put runners on first and second. After a pitching change, a wild pitch advanced the runners with Brettingen at the plate.

Brettingen delivered.

“I was looking for something away that I could get my hands extended, because we had runners on second and third,” he said. “I got that pitch, drove it the opposite way and brought them in.”

In the ninth, Burnsville reliever Bo Hellquist's wild pitch with the bases loaded scored Matt Sinderson—who reached base by battling back from a 1-2 count to draw a walk—giving Hopkins the victory.

Hopkins must win six consecutive games in the double-elimination tournament to win the state championship, and Brettingen said he understands Post 320 has a long way to go.

Still, the team remains optimistic it still has some magic left. Friday’s win over Burnsville proved that.

“It’s a long road back once you lose that first one to come through the losers bracket,” Brettingen said. “It’s a good confidence boost that we got that first victory, and hopefully there is more to come.”