The Chaska Cubs traveled to Gaylord on Aug. 24 to take on the Sartell Muskies in the opening round of the Class A Minnesota Baseball Association state championship on a beautiful day for baseball.
Accompanying the team was a large and enthusiastic group of Cubs fans. A fan bus transported more than 20 loyal supporters — including super fans Bernie Stock and Doren Keuseman — who entertained passengers with baseball jokes (What’s a pitcher’s favorite meal? Sliders), led a modified version of the “Win Twins” song, and handed out homemade Cubs support signs.
Once in Gaylord, team officials estimated that more than 300 Chaska fans were in attendance to cheer on the Cubs. Word spread through the stands that Cy’s Restaurant — a proud Cubs sponsor — had fan specials waiting back in town. It was clear the whole community was behind the team.
Based on the team’s season record and seeding, the Cubs received a first-round bye. The Sartell Muskies (21-4 in regular season play) had advanced by defeating the Elko Express 3–1 in the tournament’s opening round. Taking the mound for Chaska was Drake Kilber, who would go on to be named player of the game.
In the first inning, Sartell got their leadoff batter on base, followed by a bunt to put two men on. Trying to assert dominance early, Sartell tested the base paths — but Cubs catcher Michael Gabbard fired a message with a pickoff throw to erase the lead runner. Gabbard later picked off another runner, keeping Sartell’s aggressive baserunning in check for much of the game.
Chaska responded with early offense in the bottom of the first, including hits by Patrick Fontaine (CF) and Alex Twenge (1B), though neither would come around to score. The game then settled into a scoreless rhythm. Kilber struck out nearly a batter per inning, and while Chaska continued to get runners on base, they couldn’t bring them home — until the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh, Wyatt Rogers (2B) led off with a double into the left-field corner. A sacrifice fly by Griff Wurtz moved him to third. Veteran Cub and fan favorite Justin Johnson stepped in as a pinch hitter with Wurtz on third and Tyler Polster on first (via a walk). Johnson delivered, driving a pitch into the right-field gap to get Chaska on the board. Both Polster and Johnson would score on a clutch hit by Patrick Fontaine, giving Chaska a 3–0 lead.
Sartell clawed back in the eighth inning, stringing together a couple of hits, walks, and capitalizing on a called balk to make it 3–2. Kilber, who had pitched 7 2/3 strong innings, was relieved by Nolan Kemp after allowing two unearned runs. Kilber’s final line: seven strikeouts, two walks, eight hits, and no earned runs. Chaska added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 4–2, which held as the final score.
After the game, winning pitcher Kilber said, “It takes 25 guys — it’s a team effort. We don’t stress. We know what to do, and we do it. We put our heads down and it’s all of us.”
Coach Ben Hendrickson added, “Great pitching, key hits, and solid defense — it doesn’t get much better than that.”
Manager Bob Poppitz echoed the praise, emphasizing the positive dugout energy throughout the game. “It was great to have JJ [Justin Johnson] step in and get us on the board,” he said.
The Cubs will play their next game on Friday, Aug. 29, at 7:30 p.m. in Brownton against the North St. Paul Snowmen (21–9). Check the Cubs website for bus availability for that game.
If Chaska wins, they’ll play again on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 4:00 p.m. in Gaylord, with the championship game set for Aug. 31 at noon, also in Gaylord.
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