St. Michael-Albertville Youth Baseball Team Takes Tourney Title

It's early in the season, but the St. Michael-Albertville 14AAA squad has a lot to smile about. 

The team, with just two days of practice in at this point thanks to Mother Nature, was barely tested as it rolled to the Blaine Classic Tournament title over Mother's Day weekend. 

The tournament started on a low note, as the squad came out flat in a 14-5 loss to Blaine. 

But 10-3 and 11-0 wins over St. Cloud and White Bear Lake, respectively, moved the 14AAA squad out of pool play and into the tournament round in good shape. 

STMA opened Sunday's play with an 8-0 route of Chaska, behind solid pitching and tough defense. That put the Knights into the finals, and set up another matchup with Blaine. 

This time, St. Michael-Albertville got the offense it needed in the first matchup, and played solid defense, rolling to a 15-4 win and the tournament title. 

The championship puts the Knights 14AAA squad in the Gopher State Tournament of Champions and in the MBT State Tournament in July. 

The STMA 14AAA squad is coached by Jamie Hakes, Paul Berning, Jim Berg and Gary Merges.