Baseball briefs
News from majors, amateur, Legion and Northwoods League
Brandon Williamson will make his fourth start as of his rehab assignment for the Triple-A Louisville Bats as they host the Iowa Cubs at Louisville Slugger Field Sunday. Game time is 12:05 p.m. Minnesota time.
It’s his third start for the Bats and his second in six days vs. the I-Cubs.
On Tuesday, the 2016 Martin County West graduate did not allow a hit in three shutout innings against Iowa. He walked two and struck out one. The left-hander threw 40 pitches, 22 for strikes.
He also made one start for the High-A Dayton Dragons.
The Cincinnati Reds placed Williamson on the 15-day injured list at the start of the regular season and he was transferred to the 60-day IL on May 8.
Williamson pitched in 23 games for the Reds as a rookie in 2023, posting a 4.46 earned run average with 98 strikeouts in 117 innings pitched.
Amateur baseball
Region 13C amateur baseball teams are just starting to get their seasons in full swing with the calendar flipping to June this weekend.
The teams have played between two and five games thus far and the Jackson Bulls are the only team without a loss after coming from behind twice in extra innings to edge Fairmont 5-4 in 12 innings Wednesday at Wacker Field.
Jackson is on the road at county rival Heron Lake today (Sunday) and then is at Windom next Sunday.
The standings at this early stage of the season:
First Nite League
Jackson 3-0
Fairmont 3-1
Windom 1-1
Fox Lake 1-2
Heron Lake 1-4
Lakefield 1-4
Gopher League
Milroy Irish 3-1
Hadley 2-1
Luverne 2-1
Pipestone 2-3
Worthington 1-2
Sunday, June 2
Jackson at Heron Lake, 2 p.m.
Windom at Hadley, 2 p.m.
Milroy Irish at Fox Lake, 2 p.m.
Pipestone at Worthington, 2 p.m.
Lakefield at Worthington, 4:30 p.m.
Milroy Irish at Fairmont, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, June 5
Lakefield at Luverne, 7:30 p.m.
Worthington at Windom, 7:30 p.m.
Fox Lake at Fairmont, 7:30 p.m.
Heron Lake at Milroy Irish, 7:30 p.m.
Hadley at Pipestone, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, June 7
Courtland at Fairmont, 7:30 p.m.
Lamberton at Milroy Irish, 7:30 p.m.
Brookings at Pipestone, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 8
Wabasso at Pipestone, 11 a.m.
Fox Lake vs. Larchwood at Pipestone, 3 p.m.
Fox Lake vs. Blue Earth at Pipestone, 5 p.m.
Sunday, June 9
Heron Lake at Milroy Yankees, 1:30 p.m.
Milroy Irish at Worthington, 2 p.m.
Luverne at Hadley, 2 p.m.
Jackson at Windom, 4 p.m.
Fox Lake vs. TBA at Pipestone, TBA
TBA at Pipestone, TBA
Legion baseball
The Jackson American Legion baseball program will get its season going this week.
Post 130 will host Heron Lake-Okabena at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Wacker Field and then the Junior Legion plays three games in a tournament at Luverne Friday and Saturday.
In pool play, Jackson plays St. James at the Luverne High School field at 3 p.m. Friday and Marshall Orange at noon Saturday at Redbird Field. Post 130 then plays a team from the other three-team pool later Saturday.
Teams in the other pool are Luverne, New Ulm and Madison, S.D.
For postseason competition, Jackson is in Sub Sub District B. Oher teams are Heron Lake-Okabena, Sleepy Eye, Springfield, Wabasso and Welcome/Sherburn. Three teams advance to Sub State at Luverne.
JACKSON LEGION BASEBALL SCHEDULE
Tuesday, June 4: Heron Lake-Okabena, 7 p.m.
Friday, June 7: Luverne Junior Tournament
Saturday, June 8: Luverne Junior Tournament
Monday, June 10: at Waseca, 7:30 p.m. (Senior only)
Thursday, June 13: Sleepy Eye (2), 6 p.m. (Junior-Senior)
Monday, June 17: at Wabasso (2), 6 p.m. (Junior-Senior)
Thursday, June 20: at Heron Lake-Okabena, 6:30 p.m. (Junior only)
Saturday, June 22: at St. James Senior Tournament
Sunday, June 23: at St. James Senior Tournament
Monday, June 24: at Fairmont, 6:30 p.m. (Junior only)
Thursday, June 27: at Springfield (2), 6 p.m. (Junior-Senior)
Monday, July 1: Harrisburg (2), 6 p.m. (Junior-Senior)
Monday, July 8: Windom (2), 5:30 p.m. (Junior-Senior)
July 11-13: Sub Sub, TBD
July 18-20: Sub State, Luverne
July 26-27: Sub State, Luverne
Aug. 1-4: State tournament, Bird Island
Back with the MoonDogs
Windom graduate and one-time Jackson County Central teacher and coach Danny Kneeland is in his second full season and third overall as Manager of the Mankato MoonDogs of the Northwoods League.
Mankato opened its season Saturday with a 4-3 win at Willmar. The MoonDogs have their home opener vs. St. Cloud Sunday and also host the Rox Monday.
Kneeland entered the season with a 59-43 record since taking over the helm prior to the start of the second half of the 2022 season.
The 29-year-old Kneeland is also an assistant coach at Bethany Lutheran College. He’s been on the staff for the Vikings for six years. He played the 2016 and 2017 seasons at BLC.