Hello from the Gopher Classic. This is the second year many of our players have made the trip to the Twin Cities for the 48 team tournament.
This year we had the opportunity to play DePere, WI the night before the tournament at Siebert field on the campus of the University of Minnesota.
Even though we lost in a competitive 9-3 game, it was a great experience for our young men to see the campus and play on a great NCAA Division I baseball facility.
On the subject of great facilities, we enjoyed a tour of Target Field, the new home of the Minnesota Twins. The tour was great and the amenities are unbelievable. The boys had a great time seeing the restaurants, the roof deck, the visitor's clubhouse, and even got to walk on the field (but didn't get to touch the grass - that was a BIG no-no).
The boys continue to have a lot of fun seeing the downtown area of the Twin Cities, eating at different restaurants, and enjoying time in the hotel pool. We even enjoyed a good laugh at Danny Himmerick and his outrageous swimming attire.
We kicked off the tournament with a disappointing loss to Bemidji, MN. The game ended in a tournament imposed eight run rule in the sixth inning. Final score 9-1.
0-1 so far in the tournament for the good guys. We have our work cut out for us again Saturday, facing a good Harrisonville, MO team followed by once beaten Centennial, MN.
Hopefully we can carry some of the off the field fun over to the diamond and get a couple of wins. We look forward to good competition and making many more life-long memories at the 2010 Gopher Classic.
(Andy Lach is the assistant coach for the Minot Vistas. He writes columns about his experiences during the baseball season. Lach can be reached via email at cbieri@minotdailynews.com)