SPORTS WRAP
As a runner reaches first base, he peers across the diamond to watch the gestures of Tate Cummins. The 17-year head coach for Owatonna High School baseball is old school. He flashes signs to his players rather than call out number combos as some coaches have gone to.
Frequently the play is to steal. Cummins told the Owatonna Live Coaches, “We love running.”
That plays into senior Ayden Walter’s desire. “I like base running. I do. I like stealing bases.”
Cummins is impressed with Walter’s ability to take walks and then feels good about turning him loose. “He’s one of the few that we give a green light to if he feels comfortable and it’s a good count with somebody on the mound that he feels he can get a good jump on.”
Walter said it takes some studying. “Some keys for me are timing the starting pitcher up when he’s in the windup and just seeing what he’s doing.” Sometimes he needs to be a quick study. “When you get on base, it’s tough if he gives you the steal sign right away, you can’t pick up on any keys. But after a few pitches, you can tell what kind of routine he’s in.”
He said that the risk of stealing might mean getting “canned” or caught stealing occasionally. “You have to have a short-term memory sometimes… It’s important for all of us. If you let a play affect you, it’s going to probably do so the rest of the game.”
Meanwhile, senior teammate Drew Kretlow’s job is to limit the other team’s base-running abilities. “Being a catcher is really all about grit. You have to be ready to get dirty. You have to be ready to block everything… And when you throw it down, you just have to let loose. It’s a lot of planning.”
Rallying again and again
While base stealing might not have been the major factor in Owatonna’s 10-9 come-from-behind win over Mankato East last Thursday, being fleet of foot brought the game to an end in walk-off fashion. Walter raced from first all the way around to score on a bases-loaded error in the bottom of the seventh inning.
With two outs and trailing by two runs, Briley Highfield put the ball into play on the left side of the infield. The third baseman cut in front of the shortstop, and his throw to beat the speedy Highfield was low and skipped into foul ground. Ethan Armstrong and Collin Vick scored easily. Walter, who had earned a two-out walk, beat the throw with a head-first slide as the Huskies snapped a four-game skid.
OHS rallied from a deficit four times and took the lead briefly on a three-run blast from Teagun Ahrens in the sixth. He had four RBIs. Vick delivered a two-out, two-run single in the second as OHS was coming back from a 3-0 deficit. Sophomore Tanner Smith made a nice varsity debut, pitching four-plus innings.
Web gems
East shortstop Nicholas Werk had a pair of web-gem plays. He triggered a fourth-inning double play, going deep into the hole and making a quick snap throw to second. The relay just beat Owatonna’s runner to first. Later, Werk turned in another dazzler with a long throw to first on a ball hit well to his right. Cummins said he has rarely seen plays like that in all his years coaching and wondered if the Huskies would be able to score again.
Owatonna split two games in a rain-shortened trip to St. Cloud over the weekend. They beat Minneapolis Southwest 5-2. Kam Smith made his varsity debut on the bump going five strong innings. Mitch Seykora drove in two. OHS lost to Maple Grove 3-0. Carson Olson pitched six innings of relief, allowing one hit.
Singer and actor too
Getting back to Kretlow’s talents, he is also very involved in music at OHS between carolers, choir and orchestra. He also had a part in Shrek: The Musical as a guard. “It was so much fun getting out of my comfort zone and getting to meet a lot of new people that I don’t really hang out with in these circles. It was just a really fun experience to be a part of.”
However, he wasn’t certain that he would commit to doing theater again. “That might have been a one-and-done deal.” Kretlow intends to go to Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter and is thinking about English or possibly a pre-law track.
Bark at the park
Owatonna hosted a “Bring your Dog to the Park” day against East. The idea came to Cummins after local photographer Aaron Guzman held a personality day photo shoot for the team and a couple of players brought their dog in for it.
Quite a few fans brought their pooch and the concession stand had dog treats available. Most game nights at Dartt’s at least a couple of people bring their dog. Whether you bring Fido or not next time the high school team plays, check out the banner that shows the wide range of interests of the players.
Thefts aplenty
New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva junior Daxter Lee is on a base-stealing tear. Over a stretch of three recent games, he had nine steals without getting caught. In a game against Blooming Prairie, he stole six bases. Entering this week, he and senior teammate Andrew Phillips each had 12 steals, which is among the top in the state.
Getting kids on the links
New Brooktree Golf Course Supervisor Kurt Stangler has a passion for getting youth involved in the game. His exposure to golf started in elementary school and he began working at a course at a young age. “If golf is going to exist in the future, we have to make sure that we’re getting kids involved as early as possible,” said Stangler in an Owatonna Live interview.
Brooktree participates in the “Youth on Course” program for players under the age of 18. Kids can buy a membership “and then they can go to any golf course that participates, such as ours, where they can come out and play nine or 18 holes for a very minimal fee.”
Stangler has worked for 20 years at private courses ranging from Louisiana to TPC in Blaine and is thrilled to be in Owatonna. “The resources that they’re putting into it. They re-did the bar this year. We’re going to be redoing the pro shop side next year as well as some exterior things… I love the golf course. There’s some really unique holes out here, and it’s a great opportunity to work for the city.”
He likes that Brooktree is essentially two separate nines. The front nine is wide open and what he calls stadium-style golf like the TPC courses. The brook factors into most of the holes on the back nine with smaller greens. “They’re very small greens. So, it makes it a little more challenging and it’s just beautiful and very picturesque on the lower level.”
Stangler said winter was ideal for golf courses, from the amount of snow to the speed of the melt. “It’s going to be a great year for Minnesota golf.” He said providing an overall memorable experience is important and wants to attract people who can enjoy the Tavern Nine restaurant even if golf isn’t their thing.
Running for pancakes
My wife and I ventured to Faribault for the “Maple Syrup Fun Run” this past Saturday. It’s the same day as the “From the Heart Run” that used to occur in Owatonna, but that event held its finale last year. I saw several people with shirts honoring the longtime cancer fundraiser. One said she was sad to see it end.
I encountered several Owatonna road racers who seemed to enjoy the aspects of trail running. Larry, Kate, and Kenzie Schroeder were there. They recently ran a half marathon in Nashville, which I must admit leaves me a little jealous. Michelle and Jerry Redman also spent the morning traversing the winding, wooded trails.
A River Bend Nature Center board member told me it was a bigger turnout than usual. The pancakes and maple syrup were delicious. The event offers distances of one mile up to 50 kilometers, which is approximately 31 miles.
Owatonna Live play-by-play schedule
Thursday, May 11
OHS baseball vs. Northfield, 4 p.m. doubleheader
Medford baseball vs. Maple River, 5 p.m.
Monday, May 15
OHS softball vs. Kasson-Mantorville, 5 p.m.
OHS boys’ lacrosse vs. Northfield, 7:30 p.m.