Mounds View 5/17/2025

Maple Grove Defeats Mounds View Solidly on Baseball Day Minnesota

Box Score 5/17/2025

Maple Grove 5, Mounds View 0

Prep Baseball Minnesota brought Baseball Day Minnesota to Waconia with four games throughout the day, starting at 10am and finishing with a 7pm nightcap between the host city and the Chaska Hawks. Meanwhile the Maple Grove Crimson, playing in the 4pm penultimate game, brought a dominant pitching performance and some gritty at-bats to Lions Park for a one-sided victory over the Mounds View Mustangs.

Junior Evan O'Dwyer (W, 5.2IP, 1H, 0R, 3K) toed the rubber to start the game for the Crimson, pitching five and two-thirds innings of one-hit baseball and earning the win. Senior Ian Schock (SV, 1.1IP, 0H, 0R, K) came on in relief to get the final four outs and secure his fourth save of the season. At the plate, senior Connor Johnson (2/4, HR, 2R, RBI, SB) stayed hot, hitting his fourth long ball in the last five games and fifth overall this year.

The game was scoreless through two and a half innings, the Mustangs reaching base on a walk in the first, but stranding their runner at third, and the Crimson threatening early with three singles in their half of the first but also not scoring. However, a Mounds View error, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases in the bottom half of the third, and junior Preston Berg (BB, SAC, RBI) walked to drive in the first of MG's five runs.

After a scoreless few half innings, Johnson led off the bottom of the fifth with a no-doubter over the left field fence. Maple Grove added two more runs in the inning with a hit-by-pitch, a walk, a sac bunt, a sac fly, and an RBI single from junior Joey Limric (1/4, RBI) - who also made two phenomenal catches in center field during the contest.

The Crimson scored an insurance run in the sixth as junior Connor Wihlm (1/2, BB, HBP, RBI) singled up the middle to score Johnson. The Mustangs' lone hit came on a pop fly down the left field line in the third, but the Mounds View offense never really mounted a rally after they left a runner at third in the first. Evan O'Dwyer earned player of the game honors from Prep Baseball Minnesota for his excellent performance on the hill.

Box Score