The Minnesota Baseball Association will be hosting the 2024/101st Championship Tournaments at Belle Plaine, Jordan, Green Isle and Shakopee weekends starting Friday August 16 and concluding with the MBA Class “C” Championship on Monday September 2nd (Labor Day). Scott County communities have a long tradition of success as hosts and participant teams in tournament play.
There will be 48 Class “C” teams from across the state playing for the Class “C” title and 32 Class “A & B” teams competing in the Class “B” tournament bracket. In Class “C”, Region Champions receive a bye in week 1 action (Jordan & Montgomery). MBA is in the 2nd year of evaluating the impact of the combination of Class “A” and “B” with proposed changes in the entire Class structure for 2025 and beyond to be confirmed at their Fall Annual Meeting. Among the field of teams are 2024 Champions Air Freight Unlimited (Class “B”) and the Maple Lake Lakers (Class “C”).
MBA Class “C” also includes a “draft” of pitchers from teams defeated in playoffs. Prior Lake is well represented by Region 3C teams with PL Mudcats pitchers drafted for Tournament play: Montgomery-Alex Wattermann & Nick Allbee, Webster Sox-Ryan Watermann & Ben Morrison, Union Hill-CJ Schmidt.
There are several area teams representing Section 3B, 1B and Region 3C, 6C (River Valley League & Dakota Rice Scott League) and local players competing in the Tournaments and the parks will be ready to welcome baseball fans from across Minnesota. The PLABA, PL Jays and PL Mudcats encourage fans to get on the bandwagon and SUPPORT MBA TOWNBALL!
AREA TEAMS AT MBA 2024
River Valley League- Class B: Burnsville Bobcats, Chaska Cubs, Victoria Vics, Eagan Bandits Class C: Jordan Brewers, LeSueur Braves, St Peter Saints
Dakota Rice Scott League- Class B: Elko Express, New Market Muskies Class C: Montgomery Mallards, Union Hill Bulldogs, Webster Sox
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE*
(Section/Region # & playoff Seed # indicated, *Scott County area/Region/Section teams ONLY, Hotlinks below for full bracket and information-SUBJECT TO CHANGE.RESULTS IN CAPS/WINNERS ADVANCE):
WEEK 1
Friday Aug 16 730PM
at Jordan- New Market Muskies (1B #4) VS Lyons Pub Warriors (5B #1) KCHK 95.5FM
LYONS PUB 6-5 NEW MARKET
at Belle Plaine- Union Hill Bulldogs (3C #2) VS St Peter Saints (6C, #4) KCHK 106.7FM/1350AM
UNION HILL 9-3 ST PETER
Saturday Aug 17
11AM at Shakopee- Chaska Cubs (3B #2) VS St Anthony Hogs (7B #3)
ST ANTHONY 11-6 CHASKA
400PM at Shakopee- Eagan Bandits (3B #4) VS Stockmens Irish (7B #1)
EAGAN 5-4 STOCKMENS
630PM at Jordan- Webster Sox (3C #3) VS Buckman (8C #2) KCHK 95.5FM
BUCKMAN 8-1 WEBSTER
Sunday Aug 18
11AM at Shakopee- Elko Express (1B #3) VS Minneapolis Cobras (5B #2) KCHK 106.7FM/1350AM-Switch to 95.5FM NOON
MPLS COBRAS 4-3 ELKO
130PM at Shakopee- Burnsville Bobcats (3B #1) VS Stillwater Loggers (7B #4)
BURNSVILLE 7-4 STILLWATER
400PM at Shakopee- Victoria Vics (3B #3) VS North St Paul Snowmen (7B # #2)
VICTORIA 8-2 N.ST.PAUL
400PM at Belle Plaine- LeSueur Braves (6C #2) VS Madison Mallards (9C #3) KCHK 95.5FM
LESUEUR 10-4 MADISON
WEEK 2
Notes, News and Info:
AREA TEAMS AT MBA 2024-Week 2
River Valley League- Class B: Burnsville Bobcats, Victoria Vics, Eagan Bandits Class C: Jordan Brewers, LeSueur Braves
Dakota Rice Scott League- Class B: None Class C: Montgomery Mallards, Union Hill Bulldogs
–ELIMINATED: St Peter & Webster eliminated from Class “C” Bracket. Chaska, Elko & New Market eliminated from Class “B”. Both Tournaments are single elimination.
–Class “C” Region Champions Jordan Brewers and Montgomery Mallards played a tune up game this week and join the “C” bracket this week. All 16 Class “C” Champions received a bye in week 1.
–RVL East/Section 3B Week 1 games came down to final innings with Eagan & Victoria winning in 9th, Chaska losing in 9th and 3B Playoff Champion Burnsville plating the winning margin in the bottom of the 7th.
–“B” Reps remaining The RVL East/Section 3B is the lone traditional “B” Section with 3 teams remaining in Final 16 while Class “A” teams have 2 Sections (6B-St Louis Park, Minnetonka, Hopkins and 8B-Air Freight Unlimited, Highland Park, St Paul Mudhens) with 3 teams representing. Mainstays Moorhead Brewers and Cold Spring Springers were defeated in Week 1 action. All “B” Tournament sections are represented by at least 1 team in Final 16 bracket. 2022 “B” Champion Rochester Royals (1B #1) square with 2023 “B” Champion Air Freight Unlimited (8B #2) Saturday 8/24 11AM In Belle Plaine.
–That You? Waconia, Carver from Region 7C are former Class “C” members of the Carver Central/River Valley League while Young America of Crow River Valley League/7C returned to Class “C” after 2 successful seasons in Section 3B advancing past Section playoffs over Eagan and Burnsville to MBA “B” Tourney in 2023 losing to St Louis Park 2-1 then petitioned to play in Class “C” for 2024.
–10-4 Good Buddy. The LeSueur Braves of the RVL West made a strong re-entry to MBA Tourney 101 action in Class “C” taking down the Madison Mallards (9C #2) by a 10-4 score. It is their first appearance since 2000 and 1st MBA Tourney win since 1998 and take on 2023 “C” Runner Up Bird Island Sunday 8/25 in Green Isle.
WEEK 2 SCHEDULE
Friday Aug 23
730PM at Jordan- Jordan Brewers (6C #1) VS Cold Spring Rockies (14C #2) KCHK 95.5FM
JORDAN 5-0 COLD SPRING
Saturday Aug 24
1100AM at Green Isle-Victoria Vics (3B #3) VS Hopkins Berries (6B #4)
HOPKINS 9-0 VICTORIA
130PM at Belle Plaine- Eagan Bandits (3B #4) VS Minnetonka Monarchs (6B #3)
MINNETONKA 8-1 EAGAN
Sunday Aug 25
130PM at Green Isle- Burnsville Bobcats (3B #1) VS Moorhead Mudcats (2B #3)
BURNSVILLE 4-2 MOORHEAD
400PM at Green Isle- LeSueur Braves (6C #2) VS Bird Island Bullfrogs (4C #1) KCHK Bonus Coverage 95.5FM-During Montgomery/Waconia game.
BIRD ISLAND 10-0 LESUEUR
400PM at Jordan- Montgomery Mallards (3C #1) VS Waconia Lakers KCHK 95.5FM
WACONIA 6-1 MONTGOMERY
400PM at Belle Plaine- Union Hill Bulldogs (3C #2) VS Clinton Cards KCHK 106.7FM/1350AM
UNION HILL 13-2 CLINTON
WEEK 3-Championship Weekend
–LAST STAND in “B”. Section 3B had 3 of Final 16 but both Eagan and Victoria were eliminated leaving the 2024 Section 3B Playoff Champion Burnsville Bobcats as the lone representative from the Section in the Final 8/Championship Weekend. Miesville and Champlin Park round out the Class “B” teams remaining with 5 Class “A” teams including 2023 Champion Air Freight Unlimited. Freight blanked 2023 Champion Rochester last week 4-0. The Bobcats best finish was Runner Up in 2011 while still members of the Cannon Valley League losing to Sauk Rapids in the Class “B” Championship.
–Doggie Style. PL Mudcats LHP draftee CJ Schmidt got a stint to complete the Union Hill 13-2 win over Clinton. The LNHS ’26 faced 3 batters striking out 2 in his MBA Tourney debut pitching the 7th inning. Dad Jake Schmidt was also a UH draftee from the ‘Cats as was Uncle Ben Schmidt a draftee on Union Hill MBA Tourney teams. Union Hills best finish was in 2006 “Miracle In Mies” which was plagued by final weekend rains and extra innings games with the ‘Dogs making an improbable run to a Runner Up finish in 4-1 loss to Blue Earth. Schmidt is likely the last draftee from a Prior Lake townteam playing with a continuing “evolution” of the MBA Class structure bumping the Mudcats to a new class in 2025.
–CHAMPS. The last Dakota Rice Scott League State Champion was Elko in 2008 in “C” while the last River Valley League State Champion was Chanhassen in 2021 in “B” and Jordan in 2019 “C”. Class “B”/”A” teams alive going into Labor Day/Championship weekend will need 3 wins for the title while Class “C” potential Champs will need 4 wins. Both tournaments have been single elimination in recent seasons.
Friday August 30
730PM at Green Isle- Union Hill Bulldogs VS Young America Cardinals (Final 16) KCHK 106.7FM/1350AM
YOUNG AMERICA 4-0 UNION HILL
-YA plays Sun 130 in Jordan VS Sartell/Fairmont winner in Final 8
730PM at Jordan- Jordan Brewers VS Sauk Centre Titans KCHK 95.5FM
JORDAN 9-2 SAUK CENTRE
-Winner plays Sun 11AM in Jordan VS New Ulm/Buckman winner in Final 8
Saturday August 31
130PM at Green Isle-Burnsville Bobcats VS Lyons Pub Warriors (Final 8)
LYONS PUB 4-2 BURNSVILLE
-Winner plays winner of 11AM at GI VS Air Freight Sunday 3PM in Belle Plaine in Final 4.
Sunday Sept 1
1100AM (Final 8 “C”) at Jordan-Jordan Brewers VS Buckman Billygoats (KCHK)
JORDAN 8-2 BUCKMAN
-Winner plays winner of 130PM Young America VS Fairmont at 400PM in Final 4 of Class “C”.
YOUNG AMERICA 1-0 FAIRMONT
JORDAN 6-0 YOUNG AMERICA
-Other Final 8 “C” matchups: at GI 11AM Bird Island VS Waconia & 130 Courtland VS Buffalo
WACONIA 4-3 BIRD ISLAND
BUFFALO 13-8 COURTLAND
NOON (Final 4 “B”) at Belle Plaine- Champlin Park Logators VS Miesville Mudhens
MIESVILLE 4-3 CHAMPLIN PARK
300PM (Final 4 “B”) at Belle Plaine -Air Freight Unlimited VS Lyons Pub Warriors
AIR FREIGHT 2-1 LYONS PUB *Lyons plated homerun T9, Air Freight walkoff 2 run HR.
At Belle Plaine Tiger Park 600PM MBA Class B Championship
-Winners of Noon and 3PM Games
MIESVILLE 12-1 AIR FREIGHT UNLIMITED (7 INNINGS)
Congratulations Miesville Mudhens (Section 1B. Classic Cannon Valley League) 2024 MBA Class “B” Tournament Champions
Mon Sept 2
JORDAN BREWERS VS WACONIA LAKERS (KCHK 95.5FM/1350AM/106.7FM)
At Jordan Ballpark “Mini Met” 100PM MBA Class C Championship
WACONIA 5-2 JORDAN
Congratulations Waconia Lakers (Region 7C Runner Up. Crow River Valley League) 2024 MBA Class “C” Tournament Champions
HOTLINKS:
Minnesota Baseball Association Tournament Homepage
Belle Plaine Jordan Green Isle (Host Sites) Twitter/X
Belle Plaine Jordan Green Isle (Host sites) Facebook
Dakota Rice Scott League Twitter/X
KCHK Radio 95.5FM 1350AM 106.7FM (stream/listen to select games and updates/scores)
NSPN Game Streaming MBA State Tournament
FUTURE STATE TOURNAMENT SITES:
2025: Hutchinson/Brownton/Gaylord
2026: Shakopee/New Prague/Jordan
2027: Cold Spring/Watkins/Avon
2028: Red Wing/Cannon Falls/Miesville
KCHK Is Scott Counties Townball Flamethrower with scores, news and select game broadcasts. Tune in or Stream at KCHK.net
CHECK BACK DURING THE TOURNAMENT FOR UPDATES!