GREEN ISLE – It’s been a long and enjoyable baseball year for Aiden Elfering.
The 21-year-old BOLD right-hander was one of the University of Dubuque’s top pitchers this spring and played extensively with the Waterloo Bucks of the Northwoods League this summer. He has recently pitched extensively for his hometown’s Bird Island Bullfrogs.
And on Sunday, Elfering helped Bird Island advance to the final weekend of the state amateur baseball tournament for the fourth time in six seasons.
Elfering dominated in a 10-0 victory in seven innings over the Le Sueur Braves in the 101st annual amateur baseball tournament at the Irish Yard.
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“It feels great,” Elfering said after leading the Region 4C champions into the final weekend of the 48-team knockout tournament. “I think we’re ready.”
Bird Island (19-4) will play the Kimball Express at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Belle Plaine. Kimball beat the Foley Lumberjacks 5-4 in 10 innings to advance. The state championship game is Monday, Sept. 2, at 1 p.m. in Jordan.
The Bullfrogs are looking to advance to the finals for the second consecutive year after losing to Maple Lake in the Class C championship game in Delano last year.
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Elfering believes it’s possible. He talked about how much stronger and healthier Bird Island’s pitching staff is this season, which includes Dylan Gass, Casey Lewadownski and Jordan Sagedahl, as well as draft picks Jack Howard of Sacred Heart, Aaron Ver Steeg of Starbuck and Hunter Magnuson of New London-Spicer.
And Elfering is the best. He had five hits, struck out five and had no walks. Leadoff hitter Bryce Novak had two of those, and shortstop and No. 3 hitter Cole Penguilly went 3 for 3. He is a former pro who played for the Sioux Falls Canaries of the American Association and went 7 for 7 in his two state games for the Braves (16-10).
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“We knew their No. 1 hitter and their No. 3 hitter were really good,” said Elfering of Le Sueur, which had 11 former or current Gustavus Adolphus baseball players on its roster.
“I definitely knew some of them because I played against them in college,” said Bird Island catcher James Woelfel, who played for Bethel University. “We knew those guys were going to be solid.”
None was more solid than Elfering, who threw 65 pitches in seven innings. He said he learned how to use his outfielders in the Northwoods League, which features tight pitch counts and lineups full of NCAA Division I hitters.
“It was a real learning experience,” he said.
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Bird Island got off to a good start on Sunday with three runs in the first inning. Woelfel walked with the bases loaded and former St. Cloud State player Logan Swann delivered a two-run single.
It stayed that way until the sixth inning, when Bird Island scored four more runs. The decisive hit was a three-run double by Woelfel.
The Bullfrogs then scored two runs in the seventh and won on the 10-run mercy rule. Le Sueur was hurt by 10 walks and a couple of hit-by-pitches.
Bird Island manager Mike Nagel was extremely pleased with the performance.
“It was a great weekend,” Nagel said. “It’s always a blessing and a joy to play on the last weekend.”
“You never take it for granted. Playing on the last weekend is like Christmas for me. Our players work really hard to get there and I don’t think everyone understands how much dedication and hard work that takes.”
“These guys took their time.”
