Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com
Published - Sunday, June 29, 2008
Legion baseball: Patriots, LeJetz set to renew rivalry
The Winona LeJetz and the Rochester Patriots were originally scheduled to renew their American Legion summer baseball rivalry back on June 11.
It was a circle-the-date matchup for the First District rivals.
The Patriots beat the LeJetz twice in last year’s district playoffs, including the district championship game,
to advance to the
American Legion state tournament.
The only problem: With Cotter and Rochester John Marshall competing at the state high school baseball tournament, the LeJetz and Patriots were both without healthy chunks of their rosters.
“Both of them had state tournament commitments,” LeJetz coach Gary Hoeppner said. “That shows you the quality of programs that both schools have.”
Thanks to another scheduling quirk the LeJetz and Patriots will meet for the first time this summer at 6:30 tonight at Loughrey Field on Day 2 of the Winona Legion Baseball Classic.
The matchup was facilitated by a reshuffled tourney schedule after Inver Grove Heights pulled out.
“They’re probably one of the best, if not the best, teams in our district,” Hoeppner said. “As the defending champions, I’d probably have to pin them as the favorites again.
“You get better playing against good teams. Going up against them is only going to make us better down the road.”
The Patriots, who were ranked No. 6 in the most recent American Legion statewide coaches and media poll, showed Friday why they’re considered the class of District 1.
Patriots ace Derek Hovick threw a no-hitter, facing the minimum 21 batters in seven innings, in a 6-0 victory over La Crosse in the opening game of the tournament Friday. Only a hit batter kept Hovick, a hard-throwing and fast-working righty, from perfection.
“It’s great to come to the yard every day and know that if you have a down day there’s five or six other guys there to pick you up,” said Patriots’ lead-off hitter Spencer Brady, Big Nine player of the year and first-team all-state selection for John Marshall last spring. “It’s a great group of guys to play with. We all play really well together and that’s made for all the success we’ve had this year.”
Brady and Hovick are two of several key pieces back from last year’s Patriots and LeJetz rivalry. Hovick earned the win in the LeJetz’s first loss of last year’s district playoffs. The LeJetz returned all but three players from last summer’s team.
“With the games we played last year with them and losing the district championship to them,” Hoeppner said before the LeJetz’s 4-2 loss against Mahtomedi, “It leaves a sour taste in your mouth. We’ll see what we can do tomorrow.”
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