Farmington wins rematch with Osseo

ST. MICHAEL — The championship game of the 2024 State Division I Legion Baseball Tournament matched Farmington against Osseo with Farmington winning the title.

There was mutual respect after the game and the teams rode a bus together to the Central Plains Regional.

By luck of the draw, Farmington and Osseo squared off again in the first round of the State Tournament Thursday morning at St. Michael-Albertville High School.  Farmington played a flawless game to win 10-0. Osseo’s thought after the game was team-wide: “We have enough pitching to come back.”

Farmington pounded 12 hits in the first-round win and drew four walks to add to a healthy presence on the base paths.

A new player this year led the way for Farmington. Grady Renwick, a 6-4, 221-pound third baseman, went three for three with a walk while scoring two runs and driving in one. The left-handed hitter was right on top of things in every at-bat.

“I developed a hitting method and keep doing the same things,” said Renwick, who had a .393 batting average coming into the state tourney. His three hits boosted him over .400.

Renwick was more concerned with what his team would do Thursday than he was about Osseo. “Osseo has some of the same players as last year, and we know they’re a good team,” Renwick said. “But it doesn’t matter. We have to do our stuff the right way.”

Right in this case meant holding Osseo to two hits. And making it happen on offense.

Six runs in the third inning put Farmington in great position. Key hits in that frame were by Ben Keppler, Brodie Gilbart and Brandon Lund.

Brenden Kranz and Ike Johnson had Osseo’s hits.

The only downside of the opening victory for Renwick was an error he committed at third base. “I was hoping I would get another chance,” he said. And in the sixth inning, Farmington curve-baller Connor Stember threw a pitch that produced a grounder to third. Renwick made the play and fired the ball across the diamond for an out. Game, set match to the defending state champs.