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Sports

Blaze Returning To State Final

Burnsville baseball holds off Rochester Century, 6-4, in Class AAA semifinal on Friday to earn second-straight trip to Target Field.

Success, even in the form of a shaving cream pie to the face, never tasted so good.

"I like it, I love it," Burnsville shortstop Matt Stemper said after taking the traditional victorious confection to the face after making the final out on a diving grab of a sharp line drive to clinch the Blaze's 6-4 defeat of Rochester Century in the state Class AAA semifinal at Midway Stadium on Friday afternoon.

The victory sends Burnsville to Target Field for the championship game for the second-straight season and this time the Blaze intend to write a happier ending than last year's runner-up finish to Eden Prairie.

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"It's been our goal since day one," Stemper said of Burnsville's return to the title match. "We're here to win it this year."

To advance, the Blaze had to hold off a scrappy Century team that had defeated the defending Class AAA champion Eagles on Thursday.

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Century took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and held a 3-1 edge into the bottom of the second inning with Burnsville's run coming on a chopper by catcher Justin Threkeld that was mis-handled by the Century infield to allow Stemper to score from third base.

The Blaze rallied to tie the game at 3-3  in the home half of the second on rightfielder Andrew Leiser's one-out, two-run single that plated designated hitter Bo Hellquist and first baseman Brian VanderWoude, then took the lead at 4-3 as Stemper plated Leiser with the go-ahead RBI single.

Burnsville never trailed again, taking a 5-3 edge as Leiser scored leftfielder Tyler Hill on a RBI single in the fourth before Century again drew to within a run in the top of the fifth inning.

"Hats off to Rochester," Stemper said. "They played great today."

That would be as close as Century would get, however, as Stemper earned another RBI with an infield grounder that scored centerfielder Dan Motl in the sixth to bring the count to its would-be final tally of 6-4.

VanderWoude previously relieved starting pitcher Adam Lambrecht in the  top of the sixth and earned the save after allowing one hit and one walk while striking out three in two innings of work.

Lambrecht recovered from a shaky beginning to net the win with seven hits and three walks allowed in all after giving up two base knocks, one walk, one hit and a hit batter in the first inning.

"Adam was a little nervous to start," Burnsville head coach Mick Scholl admitted. "But he settled down and pitched well; he's been great for us this year."

Scholl said he "can't really describe" the feeling of returning to the state title game for the second time in two years. 

"We've been talking about it since the bus ride home last year," he said. "These kids have believed in themselves all season long."

The Blaze, now 23-3, are riding an 11-game winning streak heading into next Tuesday's final, their last loss coming in a 9-1 setback to Apple Valley; they will play Maple Grove in downtown Minneapolis at 6 p.m. on June 21.

In the postseason, Burnsville has out-scored its opponents 59-10, but there's still no time to let up, according to Stemper.

"It doesn't matter who we play in the final," he said. "There will be no celebrating until it is done." 

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