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Waconia beats Jordan, wins Class C state amateur baseball title

JORDAN — Despite the Jordan Brewers’ home-field advantage in the Class C Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament Championship Monday afternoon, the Waconia Lakers got a dominant pitching performance from starter John Bezdicek and took home the Class C title for the first time in history with a 5-2 win at the Mini Met.

John Bezdicek got the complete-game win, allowing just one hit and five walks for two unearned runs while striking out 17. He threw 148 pitches in the win, 92 for strike.

Jake Hendricks led the Waconia bats, going 2 for 3 with a homer and two RBIs, while Tanner Adam was 2 for 4 with an RBI and Max Kalenberg was 2 for 4.

Jordan’s lone hit of the day came off the bat of Joe Lucas, who was 1 for 4 with a double in the ninth that ended Bezdicek’s no-hit bid.

Jordan starting pitcher Nate Beckman went 8 1/3 innings, allowing 14 hits and two walks for five earned runs while striking out five.

Hendricks got the Lakers on the board in the second inning with a two-run homer that also scored Sam Schiffman, who reached on a one-out single. Jordan got a run back in the bottom of the fourth after Brandon Arnold scored on a wild pitch. Arnold originally reached on an error, took second on a balk and stole third.

Waconia put together a four-run top of the ninth to lead 5-1, getting its first run of the inning on a bases-loaded RBI single by A.J. Friedrich. Adam then hit a sac fly for a 4-1 Waconia lead. Waconia got its final run after Friedrich got caught in a rundown looking to steal second with two outs. Kalenberg took advantage of the distraction and swiped home for a 5-1 lead as Friedrich took second base.

Jordan got a run in the bottom of the ninth after an error scored Arnold and allowed Steven Beckman to reach first. Hollingsworth walked to load the bases, but Bezdicek struck out Jonathan Draheim looking to give the Lakers the Class C title.

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