On the way to winning the state Class AAAA consolation title, the Minnetonka High baseball team won 12 of its last 13 games in 2024.
The Skippers opened the season 2-5, and then made the jump to the .500 mark at 7-7. That was just the beginning as they put up 12 straight wins for a 17-7 going into the State Class AAAA Tournament. After a disappointing 11-1 loss to Mounds View in the opening round at St. Paul’s CHS Field, Minnetonka won its last two games of the season to take the consolation title at Palm Field in St. Anthony Village.
Despite the slow start, Minnetonka head coach Paul Twenge never lost hope for a winning season.
“We hung in there and fought after some tough losses early in the year,” Twenge said. “With a 17-3 record in our last 20 games, the kids were playing their best baseball. We finished the season with a win and only three teams [in each enrollment class] can say that.”
Following are summaries of the Skippers’ three games at state.
Mounds View 11,
Minnetonka 1
In the loss to Mounds View in the opening round at state June 13, the problem for Minnetonka was obvious.
“Mounds View had five hits and we had four,” Twenge said. “We didn’t pitch well enough to win. From the start, we had trouble finding the strike zone.”
Thirteen times, Mounds View hitters drew walks and that kept Mustangs in scoring position for much of the game. Four pitchers worked for Minnetonka and three of them walked at least four hitters.
Minnetonka’s hits came from Colten Benedict, Ethan Binder, Wyatt Maurer and Garrett Wheeler.
Minnetonka 6,
St. Cloud Crush 5
In the consolation semifinals June 14, Minnetonka had a chance to rebound and did so in a 6-5 victory over the St. Cloud Crush, which combines players from St. Cloud Apollo High and St. Cloud Tech.
It wasn’t an easy win and the outcome was not settled until the bottom of the ninth inning on a walk-off single by Binder.
An RBI single by Minnetonka shortstop Will Koeppen in the bottom of the sixth gave the Skippers a 5-4 lead before the Crush scored a run in the top of the seventh to send the contest into extra innings. Binder’s base hit gave relief pitcher Nate Wheeler the victory. Wheeler had followed starter Binder and reliever Evan Kueppers to the mound. Those three pitchers struck out nine and walked only one - a dramatic reversal after the control problems in the state opener.
Minnetonka had nine hits against the Crush, including two from Binder. The other hits were provided by Benedict, Koeppen, Maurer, Tyson Mahady, Jacob Musgjerd, Nate Wheeler and Garrett Wheeler.
Minnetonka 13,
Eastview 3
The consolation final at Palm Field was what Twenge called “a complete team effort” in an 13-3, six-inning win over Eastview.
“After playing so many close games this season, it was nice to have a game like that,” Twenge said. “In the last two games at state, everyone on the roster got the chance to play. Some had the opportunity to try different positions. It was just a fun day for everyone.”
Twenge called on sophomore Sam Friberg to make his varsity mound debut as the starter. After Friberg pitched into the fourth inning, Koeppen came in from shortstop to record the save.
Maurer was the offensive star for Minnetonka, going three-for-four with a pair of doubles that produced three RBIs. Koeppen matched the three-for-four performance as Minnetonka stacked up 17 hits by 11 different players. Benedict and Mahady connected for two hits each. Other hits were by Binder, Gus Berger, Garrett Wheeler, Nolan Brown, Carter Storts, Matt Marceau and Cole Knewtson.
Mahady had two RBIs. Players scoring two runs each included Brown, Marceau, Maurer and Storts. The Skippers were aggressive at the plate, drawing only four walks while limiting their strikeout total to three.
Senior nucleus
The state consolation trophy is the second piece of hardware for the Skippers in two seasons. Last year, they tied Edina for third place.
Ten seniors formed the nucleus of this year’s Minnetonka squad. Those players include pitchers Max Nelson, Evan Kueppers and Andrew Simmons, infielders Benedict, Koeppen and Nate Wheeler, catcher Brown and outfielders Binder, Maurer and Hudson Poole.
Among the players eligible to return next season are starting pitcher Jack Butterworth, starting catcher Lincoln Heitkamp, starting first baseman Berger and starting outfielder and designated hitter Tyson Mahady. Garrett Wheeler saw significant action this year and could slide in as a full-time starter in 2025.
The Skippers have some holes to fill if they are to match or exceed this year’s final record of 19-8.
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