Raspberry title repeat for A&M Lumber

The A&M Lumber men’s slowpitch softball team showed up at Central Park July 20 determined to repeat as champions of the Hopkins Raspberry Tournament.

Eleven other teams had the same goal, so it wasn’t an easy path to the championship for A&M, but their poise and resolve got them through as they defeated the Mighty Mulch Heads 6-3 in the second championship game.

“We had lost to the Mulch Heads by the 10-run rule in our 1 p.m. game,” A&M captain Dan Arterburn said after his team celebrated victory in the finals. “They are a solid hitting team, 1-10, so we had to play well to beat them twice [in the championship round].”

The second championship game was more about defense than offense with that relatively low 6-3 score. “We scored 20 runs or more in some other games today,” Dan Arterburn said.

The anchorman of the A&M defense, is Dan’s brother, Kyle Arterburn.

“Kyle was phenomenal in the championship game,” Dan said.

The Mighty Mulch Heads best chance came in the sixth inning when they had bases loaded with two outs. Right-center fielder AJ Page made a nice running catch to kill the rally.

“AJ catches everything,” Dan Arterburn said. “He can hit the ball 500 feet or 300 feet - whatever we need.”

Indeed, Page is an imposing figure, hitting from the left side of the plate. Infielders and outfielders, alike, instinctively take a few steps back when he enters the box.

“All of our guys play in the Hopkins-Minnetonka Tuesday Night League at Big Willow,” Dan Arterburn noted. “Our opponents from the championship game play in the league, so we know each other pretty well.”

Asked about a possible Raspberry Tournament three-peat next summer, Dan Arterburn said, “I think we’ve got a chance. After we won last year, everyone wanted to come back and defend the title.”

Pitcher Nathan Hermer of the Mighty Mulch Heads is sure his team will return, as well. “This tournament is a lot of fun,” he said. “We have a family team that starts with me and my brother and some cousins. We filled the rest of the roster with guys we know.”