Wayzata baseball finishes 26-1, third in state

One of the best seasons in Wayzata High baseball history ended on a winning note June 14 at CHS Stadium in St. Paul.

After losing to Mounds View 5-4 in the state Class AAA semifinals earlier in the day, Wayzata wrapped up the 2024 season with a 3-0 victory over Forest Lake Friday, June 14, at CHS Field.

Pitching dominated in the Forest Lake game with Trojans Gaard Swenson and Viet Nguyen combining on a three-hitter. Swenson pitched the first two innings before Nguyen finished the contest with five strong innings.

“Only three teams [in each class] finish the season with a win,” Wayzata head coach Bobby DeWitt said.

DeWitt figured his team would come out hungry in the third-place game. The loss to Mounds View was Wayzata’s first of the season after 25 straight wins.

“We had only a half hour to turn it around and play Forest Lake,” DeWitt said. “There were some tears after the Mounds View game, which was understandable.”

The shutout against Forest Lake was the eighth of the season for a Wayzata pitching staff led by seniors Riley Leatherman, Brady Lash and Swenson and junior Noah Filer.

Swenson was on the mound at the end of the Mounds View game, and then started in the Forest Lake game. “We asked a lot of Gaard,” coach DeWitt said. “Viet pitched five solid innings to keep Forest Lake scoreless.”

Offensive leaders in Wayzata’s final game, shortstop Matthew Berkland and left fielder Adam Deselich, each had two hits. Third baseman Tyler Gullickson and right fielder Kyle Boutwell each had one hit.