To quote Red Lake County Rebel Baseball coach Mike Gullingsrud on the KROX Radio pre-game show interview, “Maybe it’s destiny,” talking about how they won the semi-final game to get them to the state title game. It was destiny because of the hard work of the players, coaches, families, and the tremendous community support at the games, but also before the games, including a state sendoff with a free-will offering hot dog dinner that raised over $12,000 for the trip costs earlier this week. All that contributed, but it ultimately came down the boys getting it done on the field in a 15-7 victory over the New Ulm Cathedral Greyhounds in the Class A State Baseball Championship game played at Target Field in downtown Minneapolis.
Red Lake County received the #5 seed in the tournament and beat the #4, #1, and #2 seed to win the title. To quote Red Lake County’s Will Gieseke, “When I walked into the dugout this morning, I said this might be the greatest day of my life.”
FIRST INNING-
Red Lake County came out swinging. Leadoff batter, Will Gieseke raked a line drive to right field for a double to start the game. As they say…….the rest is history. The Rebels’ bats followed suit as Gunnar Halverson laid down a beauty of a bunt and reached on an error on the second baseman. Ben Gullingsrude was next and had a two-strike count. The next pitch was a ball and on the fourth pitch, he blasted a line drive over the right fielder’s head with a one-hopper to the right field fence (328 feet) for a triple to score two runs and the Rebels led 2-0 with nobody out. Kegan Schmitz hit a fly ball right field to score Gullingsrud for a 3-0 lead. Brock Seeger walked and Colin Taggart was hit by a pitch. Owen Chervestad reached on an error after he hammered a ground ball up the middle and another run scored for a 4-0 lead. Chervestad stole second base and Taggart’s courtesy runner, Riley Broden, was at third base. A passed ball allowed Broden to score and the Rebels led 5-0.
New Ulm Cathedral’s first two batters were retired by Rebel pitcher Gieseke on a ground out and a strikeout. Colin Anderson singled and Elliot Schabert singled to right field to score a run and the Greyhounds trailed 5-1 after the first inning.
SECOND INNING-
The Rebel lead-off batter Gieseke started the second inning and walked and moved to second base on a wild pitch. Halverson walked and Gullingsrud reached on a fielder’s choice when the second baseman tried to get an out at second base, but Halverson beat the throw and everybody was safe to load the bases. Schmitz stepped up to the plate and he has been pounding the ball all state tournament and blasted a line drive to right-center field to knock in all three baserunners to give the Rebels an 8-1 lead. Seeger walked before Taggart flew out to center field. It was the first time in 10 state tournament at-bats that he had been retired going 7 for 7 with two hit by pitches!!!! Chervestad singled to left field to score Schmitz for a 9-1 lead.
New Ulm Cathedral was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with a ground out and two strikeouts and Red Lake County took a commanding 9-1 lead into the third inning.
THIRD INNING –
Red Lake County’s Gieseke singled up the middle with one out to get things going in the third inning. Halvorson blasted a drive to right field for a double and Gieseke scored for a 10-1 lead. After a ground out that moved the runner to third base, Schmitz blasted a line drive to right field to the warning track for a double, scoring a run for an 11-1 lead.
New Ulm Cathedral finally got the offense going in the bottom of the inning when Elijah Rieser led off with a walk. Jake Finstad reached on a fielder’s choice and all the runners were safe because of an error. Caleb Forster reached on an infield single and bases were loaded with nobody out. Schabert doubled to left field to score three runs on a bases-clearing double to get his team within an 11-4 deficit. Portner followed with a single that knocked in a run. After an out, Anderson doubled to score a run and Red Lake County’s lead was cut to 11-6 after a five-run inning for New Ulm Cathedral.
FOURTH INNING-
Red Lake County’s offense stamped out any ideas of a New Ulm Cathedral comeback as it continued to impress as Chervestad led off with a double and moved to third on a fielding error. Knott singled up the middle to score a run for a 12-6 lead. Dawson Erickson reached on a fielder’s choice before stealing second base. After a questionable strikeout call, Halverson laced a line drive to left field to score a run and the Rebels led 13-6.
New Ulm Cathedral’s Finstad singled with one out before the next batter struck out and the inning was over when the next batter hit into a fielder’s choice.
FIFTH INNING-
Red Lake County’s first two batters were retired before Taggart singled. But his courtesy runner was picked off and the half-inning was over.
New Ulm Cathedral’s Schabert walked, Portner singled and Schugel reached on an error and bases were loaded with nobody out. The next batter reached on a fielder’s choice to score a run. The next two batters were retired and Red Lake County took a 13-7 lead into the sixth inning.
SIXTH INNING-
Red Lake County’s Knott was hit by a pitch with one out and moved to second base on a wild pitch. Erickson walked before the next two batters were retired.
New Ulm Cathedral’s Finstad led the bottom of the inning off with a single. The next two outs were at second base on fielder’s choices before the next batter struck out and Red Lake County was one inning away from winning the state championship!
SEVENTH INNING-
Red Lake County wasn’t done and wanted to get some insurance runs as Gullingsrud started the inning with a bunt single and stole second base. Schmitz continued his master class in hitting as he singled to centerfield to record his sixth rbi of the game! Seeger followed with a a single to right field to score Schmitz and the Rebels led 15-7 and were three outs away from winning the state title.
New Ulm Cathedral’s first two batters were retired before Gieseke had to be taken out due to the pitch count. Boe Nelson came in and got the batter to fly out to centerfield and the celebration began as the Red Lake County Rebels were the Class A State Baseball champions with a 15-7 victory over the New Ulm Cathedral Greyhounds.
Red Lake County ends the season with a 25-5 record, which is a program record, and they become the first Rebel team to win the State Championship.
Kegan Schmitz tied a State Baseball Tournament Championship record of six runs batted in in the championship game. Colin Taggart started the state tournament, going 7 for 7 with two hit by pitches. He ended the state tournament by going 8 for 11.
Red Lake County says good bye to three seniors – Brock Knott, Brock Seeger, and Owen Chervestad.
New Ulm Cathedral ends the season with a record of 23-3 on the season.
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM –
Red Lake County had Will Gieseke, Kegan Schmitz, Colin Taggart, and Ben Gullingsrud named to the all-tournament team. (pictured below)
Interviews –
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Red Lake County | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 14 | 3 |
| New Ulm | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 4 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Red Lake County-
Kegan Schmitz – 3 for 4, 6 rbi, 2 runs
Will Gieseke – 2 for 4, 3 runs, 2 rbi, walk
Gunnar Halverson – 2 fro 3, 3 runs, 2 rbi, walk
Ben Gullingsrud – 2 for 5, 3 runs, 2 rbi
Owen Chervestad – 2 for 5, 2 rbi, run
Brock Seeger – 1 for 2, rbi, run, 3 walks
Colin Taggart – 1 for 4
Brock Knott – 1 for 4, rbi
Dawson Erickson – 0 for 3, walk, run
New Ulm Cathedral –
E. Schabert – 2 for 3, 4 rbi, run, walk
J. Finstad – 2 for 4, run
A. Portner – 2 for 4, run
Three players with a hit each.
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB/HBP | K |
| Will Gieseke-RLC | 6.2 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 6 |
| Boe Nelson-RLC | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colin Anderson-NUC | 0.2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| J. Schugel-NUC | 1.0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Caleb Forstner-NUC | 4.2 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Colin Anderson 2nd time-NUC | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
