EAST GRAND FORKS — Parker Erickson and the senior members of the East Grand Forks Legion baseball team concluded their season Saturday afternoon with a mixture of emotions. While marking the end of their time playing on their home turf, they also secured a berth to the American Legion state tournament – the first time since 2019.
In a sweltering summer contest, the third-seeded East Grand Forks Legion team clinched a spot in the American Legion state tournament for the first time since 2019 with an 8-3 victory over the second-seeded Bemidji Lumberjacks in the Sub-State 12 elimination bracket final. East Grand Forks immediately followed this triumph with a 4-2 victory over the first-seeded Alexandria Blue Bombers, ultimately claiming the Sub-State 12 tournament title.
“We were just talking, this is the last time we’ll be playing on our field, so let’s make it a day that we don’t forget,” Erickson stated. “We did that. No better feeling than to be a champion with your guys and the people that you’ve been hanging out and playing ball with for however many years it’s been. It’s awesome to share this moment with them.”
The state tournament, hosted in St. Michael-Albertville, Minnesota, will take place from July 31-August 3. Following a tournament performance characterized by pitching depth, flashes of red-hot batting, and effective small ball, East Grand Forks entered state with a sense of confidence.
“We’re playing our best ball right now,” Nick Satterlund, a sophomore, remarked. “Hitting, pitching, defense; I don’t think many teams could beat us right now.”
Although East Grand Forks’ seniors played key roles in the batter’s box during Saturday’s two wins, it fell to younger teammates to deliver on the mound. Jake Stassen, entering his junior year of high school, started against Bemidji and allowed three earned runs through six innings, striking out six times while surrendering six hits and issuing five walks.
In a pivotal at-bat in the fifth inning, with Bemidji runners on second and third with two outs, Stassen focused on getting the batter out. Bemidji’s Peyton Neadeau attempted multiple steals, baiting a throw, but Stassen successfully recorded a strikeout, electrifying the East Grand Forks dugout.
The tournament hosts added three insurance runs in the next inning. Noah Frize executed a suicide squeeze, sending Hunter Varnson home, followed by Varnson and Jordan Nowacki scoring on the subsequent at-bat. A sacrifice bunt from Erickson sent Frize to third base, who ultimately scored on a wild pitch, handing East Grand Forks a 7-3 lead. Carson McDonald’s RBI groundout in the seventh inning tacked on the final run of the game.
“Bemidji has a good pitching staff, so we knew we were going to have to play perfect baseball today,” EGF head coach Michael Lukkason said. “Execute small ball and try to find a way to get runs here and there, and that’s what we did.”
Against Alexandria, Satterlund got the start and allowed a pair of earned runs in the first inning, but it was the last time the opposing batters crossed home plate. Satterlund closed out the game by recording six scoreless innings, collecting four strikeouts while giving up seven hits and a walk.
“I was a little nervous after the first inning, giving up two runs,” Satterlund said. “Going down 2-0 is not fun, but having my offense get some runs back builds up my confidence and the rest of the team’s confidence to get a win.”
Following Alexandria’s 2-0 start, East Grand Forks began chipping away at its deficit. After notching a run in the third inning, East Grand Forks stormed ahead in the fifth. Cole Schmiedeberg reached first base on a throwing error, and Varnson followed it up with a single to the left-field gap. Nowacki cracked an RBI double to left field to tie things up at 2-2. Frize executed a picture-perfect suicide squeeze to send Varnson home and hand East Grand Forks a 3-2 lead. Erickson knocked in one final run with an RBI single to left field, and the 4-2 lead stuck.