A Nail‑Biting Substate Showdown
Maple Grove’s American Legion baseball squad edged out Buffalo 17‑16 in a Substate 10 clash that swung back and forth until the final inning.
The teams traded homeruns, each finishing with three, while Maple Grove built a 13‑2 advantage before Buffalo answered with a nine‑run burst in the third.
Oliver Taynton sparked a rally with his second homer of the night, pushing the lead to 15‑13, but Dolen Brisk kept the pressure alive by tying the game at 16‑16 with a two‑run triple in the sixth.
The decisive moment arrived when Ian Schock drove in Evan O’Dwyer with an RBI single in the seventh, sealing a 17‑16 victory and sending Maple Grove to the winner’s bracket final on Saturday morning.
Coach and players alike praised the team’s resilience, noting that the comeback win will boost confidence heading into the next round of play.