Centennial Eliminates Lakeville North Legion From State

The Lakeville North American Legion baseball team’s magical run through the postseason ended Saturday night in Eden Prairie.

Hours after reviving themselves with a 4-3, ninth-inning rally against Fergus Falls, the Panthers fell 11-10 to Centennial (Lino Lakes) at the Minnesota State Legion tournament in Eden Prairie.

Lakeville North, which began the District 3 tournament as the 13th seed out of 20 teams, continued to excel in the playoffs and finished their postseason run with a 7-3 record—including 2-2 at state—and four wins away from the state championship.

The Panthers showed off that magic on Saturday afternoon against Fergus Falls at Eden Prairie High School.

Austin Streit capped off North’s comeback with a successful squeeze bunt in the bottom of the ninth, scoring Gordon Kappers sending the Panthers on to the next round.

“As the third hitter, I’ve never put the bunt down (before)—I just did my job,” Streit said. “We’re known for the suicide squeeze, though. We’ve done it multiple times.”

North trailed 3-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Panthers cut the lead to 3-1 in the sixth and tacked on another run in the eighth.

After pitching a scoreless ninth, Lakeville North’s offense went to work in its final at bat.

Alex Hannerman led off the inning with a single, and after Brandon Morgan reached base on a bunt attempt the Panthers had runners at first and second with no out.

Kappers attempted to sacrifice bunt the runners over, but Fergus Falls fielded the bunt and forced the lead runner out at third—keeping runners on first and second.

Evan Cordell stepped to the plate and laced an RBI single. He wound up on second after a misplay in the outfield, and Kappers reached third. Streit’s squeeze ended the game.

“I give that (win) to Evan Cordell, though,” Streit said. “He was down 1-2 with one out, and he gets a hit up the middle. Gets the lead run in and then second and third. I just put the bunt down and we got the ‘W.’”

Centennial’s victory over Lakeville North on Saturday night handed the Panthers their second loss of the double-elimination tournament, eliminating them from the bracket. Centennial moved on to face Osseo at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Round Lake Stadium.