CHASKA — Mankato West baseball’s 2026 campaign came to an end Friday at Chaska Athletic Field.
Here’s what went down.
Class AAA semifinals Mahtomedi 12 Mankato West 5
Everything appeared to be aces for Mankato West baseball in Friday’s state semifinal game against Mahtomedi.
Zephyrs ace pitcher and Star Tribune Player of the Year Connor Finn was on the bump. He didn’t make it to the third inning for the reigning Class AAA state champions.
The Scarlets scratched two runs off him thanks to an illegal pitch with the bases loaded and an RBI groundout from Mason Schreiber. Dom Murphy ripped an RBI triple to the gap in left center field for a 3-1 lead, which ballooned to 5-1 after the Zephyrs couldn’t cleanly field a Schreiber ground ball with two outs and the bases loaded.
Then came the third inning.
West had two outs with Mahtomedi placing two runners in scoring position. Then came an RBI single, a walk, back-to-back errors to tie the game 5-5, a two-run single, a two-run double, an RBI double and a wild pitch which scored a run before West got the third out of the inning.
Emmitt Rentas took the loss, allowing nine runs (one earned) off six hits and two walks with two strikeouts through 2 2/3 innings. Evan Senske allowed three earned runs off five hits and three walks with four strikeouts across 3 1/3 innings of relief while also scoring twice.
Carter Sawtell added a double. The Scarlets mustered six hits and committed five errors in the loss.
Third place game Mankato West 8 St. Thomas Academy 6
The Scarlets entered the bottom of the sixth tied 5-5 with the Cadets. A two-run double from Murphy and an RBI sacrifice fly from Senske put West ahead 8-5.
The Cadets loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh. They even scored a run off a walk. But West’s Owen Neubert got the last two batters to swing and miss at strike three to capture third place in Class AAA.
Murphy finished 2 for 3 with two doubles and three RBIs. Leo Regan went 2 for 3 with a double. Schreiber ripped a double and drove in two runs. Senske added an RBI and Ben O’Neil stole two bases. Jaxson Zimmerman went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Neubert claimed the win, allowing one run (none earned) off two hits and two walks with three strikeouts through two innings of relief. Gavin Torvick allowed five runs (two earned) off six hits and two walks with five strikeouts across five innings.