“That’s a really good baseball team,” Cathedral head coach Alan Woitas said. “Springfield’s one of the better Class A baseball teams in the state, and we knew it was going to be a battle today. The whole year we’ve prided ourselves on just finding a way to put the ball in play and force other teams to make outs. Elijah Rieser, I think he was down 1-2 in the count, battles, gets a base hit and finds a way to spark the team, then advances on the errant throw. Jake Finstad has a great at-bat, walks, and again Colin Anderson finds a way to put the ball in play. Good things happen when you do that, and we were able to capitalize on a few mistakes.”

Anderson earned the win, striking out five and allowing no earned runs on two hits and five walks.

“It took our hitting,” Anderson said. “Like most of the season. Normally we hit well to start off, and we did that today too. Putting pressure on the defense and putting the ball into play.”

Anderson and the rest of the Greyhounds went to the state tournament in both 2022 and 2023, with Springfield interrupting the streak last season.

Staff photo by Ari Selvey New Ulm Cathedral’s Colin Anderson delivers a pitch during the Section 2A Baseball Tournament Championship against Springfield Thursday at Mankato East High School.

“It’s awesome [to return to the state tournament],” Anderson said. “Especially since we only missed out by one game last year. It’s great to be back and almost redeem ourselves after last year.”

At the plate for Cathedral, Rieser and Caleb Forstner each had a hit and a run scored, while Anderson had an RBI. Finstad had a run scored.

“It’s just exciting,” Rieser said. “After my freshman year we made it, and then sophomore year, last year, we lost in the championship to Springfield. Then coming back this year to beat them three times, it’s really big. Lots of emotions going on.”

Kade Nachreiner took the loss for Springfield, striking out four while allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits and one walk. At the plate, Adiel Trevino had a hit and a run scored, while Jackson Ludewig had a hit and Brecken Heiling had a run scored.

Errors ended up playing a big factor in the game, as while both teams were solid defensively, the few errors that were given up ended up scoring runs for both teams.

Staff photo by Ari Selvey New Ulm Cathedral’s Elijah Rieser takes a lead off of third base during the Section 2A Baseball Tournament Championship against Springfield Thursday at Mankato East High School.

“Two really good pitchers and two really good baseball teams,” Woitas said. “Both teams capitalized on the other teams mistakes, and t felt like whoever was going to make the next mistake was going to be at risk of losing the game. Just really proud of our kids, especially our seniors, for staying the course and continuing to compete for seven innings and finding a way to get it done.”

The first run of the game came in the first inning, as Forstner tripled and then went home on a fielder’s choice put into play by Anderson.

The teams went scoreless in the second and third innings, but Springfield got two on the board in the fourth, as a dropped pop up allowed Trevino to score, and a wild pitch brought Heiling home.

Cathedral had to wait until the bottom of the sixth inning to get another runner in the bases. Rieser got to first on a single, then got all the way to third on a pickoff attempt that went into the outfield. Finstad drew a walk and stole second, then Anderson put a ball into play that wasn’t fielded cleanly, allowing both Rieser and Finstad to score.

“I guess I just go out there and I’m always trying to put the ball into play,” Rieser said. “Make them make a play.”

Staff photo by Ari Selvey Springfield’s Kade Nachreiner (5) throws the ball to first baseman Noah Neperman (16) during the Section 2A Baseball Tournament Championship game against New Ulm Cathedral Thursday at Mankato East High School.

Anderson shut things down in the seventh, earning a strikeout on his way to a 1-2-3 inning to seal the victory.

Cathedral awaits its matchup in the first round of the Class A State Baseball Tournament that starts on June 11 at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud.

“We have to jump on the ball early,” Anderson said. “I think we struggled a little with that back in the day. Otherwise, have solid defense behind the pitcher.”