District 5 baseball: Alexandria VFW is runner-up

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ALL-LEAGUE SELECTIONS

Alexandria VFW players Patrick Leary and Jeff Swedberg were selected by their teammates to play in the VFW All-League game on Monday in Morris

Hoping to recreate their run through the District 5 tournament and on to state last season, the Alexandria VFW players looked like they were on their way as they rallied back to reach the championship game Monday.

Instead, Morris used a rally of its own to hand Alexandria a 9-8 loss, ending the VFW’s season. That comeback avenged Morris’ loss to Alexandria in last year’s championship that saw Alexandria come back to top Morris after being down by three runs.

On Monday, Alexandria battled its way to a 7-4 lead before a bad sixth inning dashed the team’s hopes of returning to state as Morris scored six runs.

Alexandria was able to add a lone run in the seventh, but couldn’t overtake their opponents.

“Last year, we came from behind to win,” said head coach Jacob Munsch. “This year, the same thing happened, except for the final game. They came back on us.

“The umps in the tournament complimented our boys on the way they played and how they acted. That probably means more than anything.

“It was a pretty tough year for us,” said Munsch. “We started with two VFW teams, then went down to one. We lost both starting shortstops during the year and Parker Bowden broke his collarbone.

“It makes us proud as coaches, because it’s the kids that are the ones that have to do what we ask of them.”

Alexandria got five hits from Christian Anderson in the championship game, with Patrick Leary adding two.

Drew Winter, Chris Leary and Riley Hvezda drew pitching duties.

“We had 15 hits in this game, more than any other game in the tournament,” he added. “This was a game where everyone could show their talent.”

Alexandria’s comeback run through the tournament to the title began with their 6-5 rally win over Madison, a 4-3 loss to New London-Spicer, a 9-8 come-from-behind win over Willmar, a 9-6 rally win over Madison before picking up a 2-1 win over New London-Spicer in eight innings on a walk-off single.

STATISTICS

NL-SPICER 000 000 4 4-6-2

ALEXANDRIA 102 000 0 3-1-1

PITCHING – Blake Stockert 6-4-0-2-8; Ben Allen (L) 0.2-2-4-3-1; Chris Leary 0.1-0-0-0-0.

HITTING – Mitch Thompson 1 run; Jeff Swedberg 1 run, 1 bb; Patrick Leary 1 bb; Cody McLaughlin 1-3, 1 rbi; Christian Anderson 1 bb.

ALEXANDRIA 103 122 0 9-11-0

WILLMAR 430 001 0 8-8-1

PITCHING – Jake Booth 0-0-4-4-3-0, Patrick Leary 5.2-6-4-4-3-4, Parker Bowden (W) 1.1-2-0-0-1-1.

Mitch Thompson 2-4-1 run, 1 rbi; Jeff Swedberg 3-5, 2 runs, 2b; Patrick Leary 3-4, 1 run, 3 rbi, hr; Cody McLaughlin 1-4, 1 run, 1 bb, 1 rbi; Blake Stocker 1-4, 1 run; Christian Anderson 1-3, 2 runs, 1 bb, 1 rbi; Grant Becker 2 rbi; Parker Bowden 1 bb, 1 run.

MADISON 002 130 0 6-7-1

ALEXANDRIA 200 007 0 9-8-2

PITCHING – Mitch Thompson 2.2-3-2-2-2; Cody McLaughlin 1.1-1-1-0-1; Patrick Bowden (W) 3-3-3-0-2.

HITTING – Mitch Thompson 1 run; Jake Booth 1-2, 1 run, 1 rbi; Jeff Swedberg 1-4, 1 run; Patrick Leary 1-3, 1 run, 3 rbi, 2b; Cody McLaughlin 2-3, 1 run, 1 rbi; Blake Stockert 1-2, 1 run, 1 rbi; Christian Anderson 2-3, 1 run, 1 rbi; Aaron Steidl 1 run, 1 rbi, bb; Grant Becker 1 run, 2 bb, 1 rbi.

NEW LONDON 000 001 00 1-4-0

ALEXANDRIA 100 000 01 2-7-0

PITCHING (ip-h-r-bb-so) – Toby Helgeson (W) 8-4-10-0.

HITTING – Jeff Sweberg 1 run, 1 bb; Patrick Leary 4-4; Cody McLaughlin 1-3, 1 bb; Blake Stockert 2-4, 1 run, 2b; Christian Anderson 1 bb; Grant Becker 3-3; Parker Bowden 1 bb.

ALEXANDRIA 110 320 1 8-15-0

MORRIS 102 016 X 9-12-2

PITCHING – Drew Winter 3-5-3-1-0; Chris Leary 2-1-1-2-0; Riley Hvezda (L) 1-6-5-2-0.

HITTING – Christian Anderson 5-5, 1 run, 2b, 3 rbi; Jeff Swedberg 1-5, 1 run; Patrick Leary 2-3, 2b, 1 rbi; Cody McLaughlin 1-2; Blake Stockert 1-4, 1 rbi; Aaron Steidl 1-4, 1 run; Grant Becker 2 runs, 1 bb; Toby Helgeson 3-3, 3 runs, 1 rbi; Parker Bowden 1 rbi.

DISTRICT 5 VFW TOURNAMENT

JULY 26-AUGUST 1 IN MONTEVIDEO

SEEDINGS – 1. Morris, 2. Alexandria, 3. New London-Spicer, 4. Willmar, 5. Benson, 6. Starbuck, 7. Madison, 8. Montevideo, 9. Dawson.

TUESDAY, JULY 26

OPENING ROUND AT HIGH SEED

Benson 6, Willmar 4

Starbuck at New London-Spicer

Alexandria 6, Madison 5

FRIDAY, JULY 29

WINNER’S BRACKET

MONTEVIDEO

Morris 7, Benson 2

New London-Spicer 4, Alexandria 3

SATURDAY, JULY 30

LOSER’S BRACKET

MONTEVIDEO

Alexandria 9, Willmar 8

Madison 15, Benson 10

Willmar 18, Dawson 2

Madison 9, Starbuck 4

SUNDAY, JULY 31

MONTEVIDEO

Morris 10, New London-Spicer 0 (5 innings)

Alexandria 9, Madison 6

Alexandria 2, New London-Spicer 1

MONDAY, AUGUST 1

MONTEVIDEO

Morris 9, Alexandria 8

Tags: alexandria sports, sports, vfw, baseball, district, 5