Jackson County Central graduate and former Jackson Bull Alex Bretzman is having a good season with his new team, the Hawley Hawks of the Red River Amateur Baseball League.
The team posted award winners on its Twitter account and Bretz earned two. He was named the Hawks’ Most Valuable Player and the team Cy Young Award winner.
Bretzman pitched 60 innings, striking out 48 and posting a 2.22 earned run average. At the plate he had a .339 on base percentage.
Hawley lost its first game in the eight-team double elimination Region 10C tournament 13-5 to Dilworth. The Hawks travel to Ada in an elimination game in the rain delayed tournament Tuesday.
Is travel a little different for townball teams in that part of the state?
Hawley traveled 192 miles to Hibbing to start the region tourney. Ada is a manageable 39 miles, and a win will send the Hawks back to Hibbing for games Saturday and possibly Sunday.
Amateur ratings
One leader remains the same and the other is new in the latest amateur baseball ratings by the Minnesota Baseball Association.
Jordan is again first in Class C. Previous No. 2 Buckman slipped to a tie for fifth
Miesville and Burnsville switched places atop the Class B poll.
Following are the complete polls. Listed are rank, team, poll points and previous ranking.
Class C
1. Jordan Brewers (35) (1)
2. Young America Cardinals (30) (T5)
3. New Ulm Brewers (25) (4)
4. Bird Island Bullfrogs (23) (3)
5. Nisswa Lightning (22) (7)
(tie) Buckman Billygoats (22) (2)
7. Buffalo Bulldogs (19) (T10)
8. Watertown Red Devils (16) (T5)
9. Avon Lakers (9) (NR)
10. Waconia Lakers (6) (9)
Also receiving votes: Luverne Redbirds, Delano Athletics, Raymond Rockets, St. Martin Martins, New Prague Orioles, Bemidji Blue Ox, Fairmont Martins, Cortland Cubs, Foley Lumberjacks, Waterville Indians, Union Hill Bulldogs, Hutchinson Huskies, Leavenworth Orioles, Wanamingo Jacks, Princeton Panthers, Plato Blue Jays and Red Wing Aces.
Class B
1. Miesville Mudhens (50) (2)
2. Burnsville Bobcats (44) (1)
3. Victoria Vics (41) (5)
4. Lyon’s Pub Warriors (40) (7)
5. Stockmen’s Irish (36) (6)
6. Air Freight Unlimited (33) (4)
7. Minnetonka Monarchs (32) (3)
8. St. Louis Park Pirates (31) (NR)
(tie) Rochester Royals (31) (10)
10. Champlin Park LoGators (13) (NR)
Also receiving votes: Baseball 365, Cold Spring Springers, Elko Express, Shakopee Indians, Moorhead Brewers, Minneapolis Cobras, North St. Paul Snowmen, St. Anthony Hogs, St. Paul Mudhens, Andover Aces, St. Paul Capitals.
Legion champs
Minnesota crowned two state American Legion baseball champions on Sunday.
Sleepy Eye won the Division II title in Bird Island and Farmington won the Division I championship game in Maple Grove.
It’s the second straight state title for Sleepy Eye, which beat Glenwood-Lowry 7-4 in the championship game.
Sleepy Eye’s Arian Saenz was named the Tony Sipe Outstanding Player of the Tournament. He finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and an RBI in the championship game.
Farmington was a 2-1 winner over Osseo for the Division I crown. Both advance to the Central Plains Regional in West Fargo.
Farmington plays Renner, S.D. in the first round and Osseo faces Swisher, Iowa.
American Legion baseball state champions
Division II
1987: Swanville
1988: Swanville
1989: LaCrescent
1990: Glencoe
1991: Benson
1992: New York Mills
1993: Sebeka
1994: LaCrescent
1995: Pine Island
1996: Big Lake
1997: LaCrescent
1998: Milroy
1999: Nashwauk-Keewatin
2000: Sacred Heart
2001: Parkers Prairie
2002: LeSueuer-Henderson
2003: Paynsville
2004: Sebeka
2005: Jordan
2006: Jordan
2007: Jordan
2008: Jordan
2009: Eden Valley-Watkins
2010: LaCrescent
2011: Eden Valley-Watkins
2012: Plato
2013: LaCreacent
2014: Plato
2015: Plato
2016: Minneapolis Giant Valley
2017: Pierz
2018: LeSueur-Henderson
2019: Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton
2020: Season canceled: Covid-19 Pandemic
2021: Sacred Heart/MACCRAY
2022: Wadena
2023: Sleepy Eye
2024: Sleepy Eye
Division I
1926: Crosby
1927: St. Paul John de Parcq
1928: St. Paul John de Parcq
1929: Cottonwood
1930: Minneapolis North Side
1931: Winona
1932: Minneapolis North Side
1933: St. Paul Post 8
1934: New Ulm
1935: St. Paul Christie de Parcq
1936: Minneapolis North Side
1937: Railroad, St. Paul
1938: St. Paul Midway
1939: Minneapolis Fire & Police
1940: Minneapolis Fire & Police
1941: New Ulm
1942: St. Paul Hamline
1943: Minneapolis-Richfield
1944: Minneapolis-Richfield
1945: Minneapolis Fire & Police
1946: St. Paul Christie de Parcq
1947: St. Paul Christie de Parcq
1948: Austin
1949: St. Paul North End
1950: St. Paul North End
1951: St. Cloud
1952: St. Paul North End
1953: Austin
1954: St. Paul North End
1955: Edina
1956: St. Paul North End
1957: Mankato
1958: Minneapolis Grain Exchange
1959: Minneapolis-Richfield
1960: Fergus Falls
1961: Minneapolis-Richfield
1962: St. Paul Christie de Parcq
1963: St. Paul Christie de Parcq
1964: Minneapolis Grain Exchange
1965: Rosetown Memorial
1966: North St. Paul
1967: St. Paul Attucks Brooks
1968: St. Paul Attucks Brooks
1969: Edina
1970: Winona
1971: North St. Paul
1972: Minneapolis-Richfield
1973: Minneapolis-Richfield
1974: St. Paul Attucks Brooks
1975: Grand Rapids
1976: St. Cloud
1977: St. Cloud
1978: New Ulm
1979: St. Paul Arcade-Phalen
1980: Minneapolis-Richfield
1981: Rochester William T. McCoy
1982: Edina
1983: Edina
1984: Waite Park
1985: St. Paul Jacobsen
1986: Waite Park
1987: St. Louis Park
1988: Moorhead
1989: Apple Valley
1990: St. Paul Hamline
1991: Excelsior
1992: New Ulm
1993: Tri-City Red
1994: Tri-City Red
1995: New Ulm
1996: Rochester A’s
1997: Tri-City Red
1998: Excelsior
1999: Tri-City Red
2000: Tri-City Red
2001: Coon Rapids
2002: Apple Valley
2003: Rochester A’s
2004: Eden Prairie
2005: Eden Prairie
2006: Eden Prairie
2007: Eden Prairie
2008: Eastview
2009: Rochester Patriots
2010: Eden Prairie
2011: Eden Prairie
2012: Edina
2013: Eden Prairie
2014: Lakeville North
2015: Wayzata
2016: Woodbury Blue
2017: Tri-City Red
2018: Tri-City Red
2019: Excelsior
2020: Season canceled: Covid-19 Pandemic
2021: Hopkins
2022: St. Michael
2023: St. Michael
2024: Farmington