Martins stop Saints to capture Class C title

NEW PRAGUE - Spencer Chirpich didn’t realize how big his RBI double in the sixth would end up being until he took the mound with the bases loaded in Sunday’s Class C Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament championship game.

But that double ended up being the difference maker in the end - along with his arm.

Chirpich pitched the final 2 2/3 innings of Sunday’s title game in relief and the Martins held off an Elrosa Saints rally for a 5-4 win at Memorial Park.

The Martins were moved to Class B last year and missed the state tournament but roared back to state in Class C this year to win their first Class C title since 2020 and fourth overall.

After taking a 4-1 lead in the third inning, the Martins and Saints held each other scoreless for a few frames before Chirpich doubled in the sixth to score Jon Traetow, who led off the inning with a double of his own.

The Martins had a 5-1 lead until the Saints hit back in the seventh for three runs. The first run came on an RBI single from Peyton Winter, while the next came after an infield fly that was dropped. The final run scored on an RBI single by Ethan Mueller. Mueller’s single came off Chirpich with the bases loaded, but the runs were charged to Josh Smith, who ended up earning the win in four innings of relief. Traetow pitched before Chirpich and got an out on a play at the plate, but he issued a walk to load the bases, prompting the switch to Chirpich.

Smith allowed six hits and five walks for three runs while striking out two, while Chirpich allowed just two hits in his 2 2/3 innings.

Hadley Buttermakers draftee Dylan Kluis got the start on the hill for Fairmont and went two innings, allowing one hit and four walks for one run while striking out two.

Gavin Kampsen led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to keep things interesting and give Elrosa a shot to tie it late, but after a sac bunt moved him to second, Chirpich forced back-to-back groundouts to give Fairmont the win.

Chirpich ended up leading Fairmont at the plate, going 2 for 4 with an RBI, while Levi Becker was 1 for 4 with a double and three RBIs.

The Saints were led by Derek Wiener, who was 3 for 5, while Jackson Peter was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, Mueller was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Norway Lake-Sunburg Lakers draftee Jared Cortez took the loss in five innings, allowing four hits and two walks for five runs, four earned, while striking out two.

In the Class B championship, the Plato Blue Jays beat the Watertown Red Devils 13-1 on Monday afternoon in Shakopee. The Class A championship was won by the Coon Rapids Redbirds, who beat the Sartell Muskies 6-5 in 10 innings on Monday afternoon in Shakopee.