ITS ON! MBA “Townball” To Crown Champs Labor Day 2018! (UPDATED 9/1. Week 3-FINALS)

By Joseph Chapman

Friday, August 17, 2018, 9:24 AM CDT

2018 MBA Class “B” Tournament games in week 1 are all at Jordan Mini Met in the 1st round single elimination of the 16 team Class “B” tournament. Following Week 1 action, an 8 team double elimination bracket determines the 2018 Class “B” Champion and moves between sites. Elko of the DRS League/Scott County/Section 1B joins playoff seeds #1 Chanhassen, #2 Chaska, #3 Victoria and #4 Shakopee Indians of the RVL East/Section 3B. Click on local team name to link to their MBA website.

The PL Jays sends best to fans and teams in the 2018 Class “B” & “C” Tournaments!

Class “B”, WEEK 1 (Click Score to link to results):

Saturday August 18

500 at Jordan: Elko Express VS Chanhassen RedBirds

Chanhassen 12-3 Elko (Elko eliminated, Chanhassen advances to double elim Final 8)

Sunday August 19

130 at Jordan: Victoria Vics VS Miesville Mudhens

Miesville 13-3 Victoria (Victoria eliminated, Miesville advances to double elim Final 8)

500 at Jordan: Chaska Cubs VS Moorhead Brewers

Moorhead 15-7 Chaska (Chaska Eliminated, Moorhead advances to double elim Final 8)

730 at Jordan: Shakopee Indians VS Cold Spring Springers

Cold Spring 9-1 Shakopee Indian (Shakopee eliminated, Cold Spring advances to double elim Final 8)

*Shakopee Indians lineup up pregame at Jordan “Mini Met” Ballpark as Cold Spring Springers are introduced for Week 1 of MBA Class “B” 2018 8/19/18-Photo by Tex*

Week 1 is in the books for the 16 team single elimination week 1 to advancing winners to Week 2 Final 8 which will be a double elimination bracket. The Final 4 from 2018 will return with Miesville, Chanhassen, Moorhead and Northfield making the Final 8 for 2018.

Week 2 settles the field for the Championship weekend for 2018 with a rematch from 2017 of Chanhassen RedBirds and Miesville Mudhens in the winners bracket Final with: Cold Spring, Forest Lake, Moorhead and Sauk Rapids in the losers bracket needing 6 wins for the title.

Local powerhouse Elko of the DRS League was the lone team from MBA Section 1B to drop in week 1 with Chanhassen stringing together a power game with Brandon Arnold leading the charge for Chanhassen with 3 home runs at Jordan Mini Met in Chanhassens 12-3 win. The Chanhassen RedBirds were the lone River Valley League/ MBA Section 3B team to advance with host Shakopee Indians, regular season #1 Chaska Cubs and resurgent Victoria Vics losing in single elimination action going 1-3 for the RVL East MBA Section 3B representatives. The Vics finished last in 2017 Section 3B getting dropped in 2 games by the Prior Lake Jays but put together a climb to #6 in regular season (#5 with Eagans rules violation suspending their postseason) this season taking Shakopee to 3 games in “pair-wise series” 2018 winning in extras og gme 3 to secure an MBA Class “B” berth following the off season passing of long time Manager/GM Mike Poppitz.

Teams from Sections 1B & 2B comprise 6 of the final 8 slots with 3B and 4B having 1 representative in the double elimination which concludes with a Champion being crowned Labor Day in Shakopee. The Finals in the winners bracket are representing Section 1B, defending Champions Miesville with Chanhassen from MBA Section 3B. Chanhassen lost twice to Miesville for the 2017 title in the final after winning the same bracket game as undefeated winner. GOOD LUCK TEAMS & FANS. SUPPORT MBA TOWNBALL!

LOCAL Week 1 “B” NOTES:

-Mainstay of the past 10+ seasons, Shakopee Indians lefty pitcher Chris Rupert is reportedly hanging up the spikes after many Championship seasons and big games for the Indians in his tenure.

–Brandon Arnold from Chanhassen, leads big offense in 3-5, 4 runs, 6 RBI with 3 homeruns in RedBirds win 12-3 over Elko in Week 1. Justin Anderson also homered scoring 2 and 2 RBI in the RedBird win. Logan Spitzack pitched 7 for the win with 1 earned run yielded with Choles and Nablo closing the Express. Chanhassen, #3 in regular season won Section 3B Seeding Saturday-Championship taking down Victoria Vics and regular season Champion Chaska Cubs.

-49-14 was the scoring margin for “local games” shown above with Week 1 winners bringing the lumber to the cozy Jordan Mini Met. Margin in games not shown was 40-6 with Forest Lake Brewers dropping a 19-1 score on the Hibbing Miners with 17 hits in Week 1 action.

–Jordan, a former Class “B” Team is a multiple time State Tournament host and Class C participant from the River Valley League. The 2018 “Class B” Saturday/Sunday Week 1 was well received and appreciated by fans & players of Class “B” with upgrades to 3B outside fan patio area and the full 9 on concession including Porkburgers, pretzels, Ice Cream bars and the standard ballpark fare. Thanks to All 2018 Tournament hosts from fans supporting MBA Townball. Commisioner John Breimhorst kept his role for Section 3B and an integral part of the operations and continuous improvement of Jordan Mini Met. The Jordan Brewers have been participants in Class “C” including 2018 and call Mini Met home playing in the River Valley League.

***Joseph “Tex” Chapman, Interim RVL East VP 2018.***

–KCHK 95.5 FM/1350AM is Scott Counties Townball Flamethrower and Ball Director Aaron Worm hosted a 2018 MBA State Townball Talk Sunday recapping Week 1 (CLICK TO LISTEN TO PODCAST) action in Class “B” and “C” and one distinguished guest 8/19 was Tex Chapman of the PL Jays, Interim RVL East VP, discussing opening round results and observations heading into the double elimnation portion now in Final 8 of MBA Class “B”. Click link below to stream and listen in for updates on 2018 Class “B” & “C” Tournaments!

Class “B”, WEEK 2:

Friday August 24

Time/Location/Team/MBA Section #

Game 11 500PM at New Prague Memorial- Moorhead Brewers 2B VS. Northfield Knights 1B

Game 12 730PM at New Prague Memorial-Chanhassen RedBirds 3B VS Sauk Rapids Cyclones 2B

Game 10 500PM at Shakopee Schleper Stadium-Forest Lake Brewers 4B VS. Miesville Mudhens 1B

Game 9 730PM at Shakopee Schleper Stadium-Cold Spring Springers 2B VS. Dundas Dukes 1B

SATURDAY AUGUST 25

TIME/LOCATION/Game# in Red

FINAL 4 Undefeated:

200PM at Jordan Mini Met -Final 4 Winners W9 V W10 Dundas VS Miesville

2-1 Miesville

500PM at Jordan Mini Met-Final 4 Winners W11 V W12 Chanhassen VS Northfield

12-5 Chanhassen

Class “B”, WEEK 3:

FRIDAY AUGUST 31

500PM at New Prague: LOSERS From Friday 8/24-ELIMINATION GAME for Loser L9 V L10

Cold Spring Springers V Forest Lake Brewers

Cold Spring 1-0 Forest Lake

730PM at New Prague: Northfield VS Winner 5PM Cold Spring/Forest Lake

Northfield 12-6 Cold Spring

ELIMINATION GAME for Loser (Cold Spring). Winner (Northfield) plays Sunday 500PM at New Prague FINAL 4

500PM at Shakopee: LOSERS From Friday 8/24

ELIMINATION GAME for Loser L11 V L12

Moorhead Brewers V Sauk Rapids Cyclones

Moorhead 4-2 Sauk Rapids

730PM at Shakopee: Dundas VS Winner 5PM Moorhead/Sauk Rapids

Moorhead 2-1 Dundas

ELIMINATION GAME for Loser (Dundas)-Winner (Moorhead) plays Sunday 500PM at New Prague FINAL 4

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 1

Winners Bracket FINAL (Last 2 undefeated teams in double elimination bracket)

200PM AT Jordan: Miesville Mudhens (1B) VS Chanhassen RedBirds (3B)

(Winner Advances to Championship LaborDay, Loser awaits losers bracket Sun 730PM @ NP)

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 2

500PM at New Prague Northfield/ColdSpring/Forest Lake VS. Dundas/Moorhead/SaukRapids (TBD) Loser = MBA “B” ’18 4th Place.

730PM at New Prague: Miesville/Chanhassen LOSER vs. Northfield/Moorhead 500PM Winner

Loser Eliminated = MBA “B” 3rd Place

Winner advances to Championship Labor Day VS Miesvlle/Chanhassen 9/1 winner. FINAL.

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 3

2018 MBA Class “B” State Championship

AT Shakopee Joe Schleper Stadium-Tahpah Park

NOON (if Needed: GAME 2 to follow-FINAL GAME)

WINNER MBA ’18 CLASS “B” STATE CHAMPION:

LOSER MBA ’18 CLASS “B” RUNNER UP:

HOTLINKS:

MBA 2018 Class B Bracket

MBA Class B Website

RVL East-Section 3B Website

DRS League Website

KCHK Week 1 Sunday “Townball Tourney Talk” Podcast (CLICK TO LISTEN)

The 2018 MBA Class “C” Tournament features 32 teams in action in week 1 with the remaining 16 teams having a “bye” as top seed from the Class C Regions. Week 2 will reduce the teams to 32 teams in single elimination format/bracket. New Prague and Shakopee are hosting Week 1 Games. Teams of the Dakota Rice Scott (Region 3C ) , River Valley League (Region 6C). Click team name in Week 1 listing below or “Hotlinks” to follow to Labor Day Championships!

The PL Mudcats sends best to fans and teams in the 2018 Class “B” & “C” Tournaments!

Class “C”, Week 1:

Friday August 17

730 at New Prague: New Prague Orioles VS Ortonville (PL Mudcats draftee pitcher Houston-NP)

NEW PRAGUE 7-3 ORTONVILLE

Saturday August 18

500 at Shakopee: Belle Plaine Tigers VS Crookston

Belle Plaine 12-2 Crookston

730 at New Prague: St Patrick Irish VS Lamberton (PL Mudcats draftee pitcher Morrison-StP.)

St Patrick 4-3 Lamberton

Sunday August 19

500 at Shakopee: Faribault Lakers VS Stewartville Racine

Faribault Lakers 2-0 Stewartville Racine Sharks

UPCOMING GAMES (BYE Week 1): Sat 8/25 at New Prague: Jordan Brewers VS Winner Young American V Foley 8/17 730PM & Sun 8/26 New Market Muskies VS Winner Sat 8/18 500PM Pelican Rapids V Fort Ripley.