Hopes High For Their First State Tournament

The Southwest Legion baseball team prevailed over Richfield 3-2, Thursday, capturing the District Five championship and advancing to the State Tournament for the first time in the legion program’s history. 

The best of three district championship series went the full three games, and each game was decided by a single run. 

“It was simply phenomenal,” said head coach Joel Gotfredson of the series.

With a 9-3 regular season district record, Southwest entered the tournament as the district’s number three seed. The Lakers went undefeated in the pool play portion of the tournament, before defeating number one seed Richfield in the grueling championship series. 

Per Minnesota Legion policy, regular season rules change to American League rules during postseason play. This means, that amongst many rule changes, nine inning games replaced the usual seven-inning format. With game one of the series going 11 innings, and game two and three being played the next day, Southwest played a remarkable 29 innings in two days.

“It’s a whole different ballgame,” said Gotfredson of the playoffs. “It’s a much more grueling game. You’re shot after a seven-inning game, and now you have to go back out there and play two more innings.”
Instrumental in the teams’ success—particularly in the playoffs—have been Southwest alumni and current NCAA Division III players, Nick Kuhlman and Jack Schneider. 

Second-baseman Kuhlman—who leads the team with eight home runs and also pitches—will be a Sophomore at UW-Whitewater next fall. Schneider, a sophomore at nearby University of St. Thomas, has anchored the shortstop position for Southwest this summer and his three homeruns of his own.

“It all starts up the middle with Nick and Jack,” said Gotfredson of his teams’ success. 

American legion rules allow the participation of players who don’t turn 20 until after the end of the calendar year, meaning many college freshman can return to play for their high-school legion programs.

Gotfredson said that year of college experience was instrumental to on-field success, but that it also brought an added level of poise and maturity to his team.

“Those guys are not only great players, but they also live their lives very well,” said Gotfredson of Kuhlman and Schneider. “It’s kind of like having two other coaches."

Schneider and Kuhlman echoed that, noting they brought a coach’s mindset to the season, knowing a large part of the team’s success was contingent on their leadership.

“Nick and I knew we had to come back and show the team how to get better and how to win games,” Schneider said.

Southwest did just that in the season’s first tournament, winning the Land of the Loon tournament in Virginia, MN. 

Yet the team’s makeup was tested, as they stumbled in ensuing tournaments. Southwest went winless in Delano’s Fourth of July tournament, and won only one of five games in the prestigious Gopher Classic, albeit against top competition.

As a bonding exercise on those road trips, Gotfredson had his team read and discuss legendary football coach Tony Dungy’s book, “Uncommon,” which contains chapters on integrity and honor.

It was during those hotel room discussions that the team jelled, he said, and grew to understand those principles.

“The discussions really opened some minds, and made us more comfortable talking about our problems, whether or not they were related to baseball,” said Kuhlman. “We really grew as a team.” 

Gotfredson added that it was Kuhlman and Schneider who took the reigns in those meetings. 

“I would sit back and let the team talk, and they would talk for an hour or two,” said Gotfredson. “Those guys [Kuhlman and Schneider] really stepped up in those discussions and said if you want to play in college you have to have that [integrity, honesty] to be successful.” 

Those talks appeared to lay the groundwork for success, as Southwest raised its level of play substantially in the following weeks, resulting in its inaugural state tournament birth. 

And while Southwest’s opponent in the opening round of State remains unknown—District Four has yet to determine its champion—Friday’s game is sure to be the Lakers’ greatest challenge to date.

“With my competitive nature, I want to make a dent I this tournament,” said Kuhlman. “I want to show that this Southwest team means business and that we’re not just a bunch of city kids that can’t beat suburban kids.” 

Friday’s contest will be held at one o’clock Braemar Park in Edina.