Elrosa Saints earn 12th state tournament berth

The Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team is returning to the Class C state tournament after having a rough 0-2 trip at regions a year ago. Thanks to late-game heroics by Jackson Peter, the Saints overcame a 2-1 deficit in the top of the 9th inning, as the 2020 B-B-E graduate launched a three-run home run over the centerfield fence at Spring Hill’s Chargers Stadium on Saturday, August 9.

Elrosa’s defense held in the bottom of the 9th for a 4-3 win over Starbuck to earn one of Region 8C’s four state tournament spots.

On Sunday, the Saints (15-11 overall) fell 8-3 to a hard-hitting Regal Eagles team in a seeding game. The Eagles open state with Region 8C’s No. 3 seed on Saturday, August 16 at 11 a.m. in Hutchinson. Their opponent will be the Dumont Saints.

For Elrosa, they open their 12th state tournament appearance this Saturday, August 16 in Hutchinson. Their game at 1:30 p.m. that day will be against the Windom Pirates. The Pirates won the Region 10C title with a 3-1 win over the Milroy Irish at Milroy’s Irish Yard on Friday.

Windom holds a 23-1 overall record. Their last state trip was in 2021, and their program won the Class A state championship in 1936.

Elrosa’s state draftees are Weston Gjerde from Norway Lake-Sunburg, Grant Moscho from Greenwald and Ben Welle from Spring Hill.

Hutchinson’s state tournament site is Veterans Memorial Field At Dave Mooney Memorial Complex. This is located along the South Fork Crow River. The address is 301 Ontario Street SE, Hutchinson, MN 55350. Other state tournament sites for all classes are Gaylord, Brownton and Glencoe.

Paynesville earned their program’s second-ever trip to state as Region 8C’s No. 1 seed. Farming is the No. 2 seed, and Elrosa is the No. 4 seed.

Game updates from state can be found at the Bonanza Valley Voice sports reporter's blog: https://bbejaguars.blogspot.com/2025/08/game-day-at-state-in-mcleod-county.html