Foley Baseball Section 6AAA

PHOTO BY TOM FENTON

The 2023 Foley baseball team -- Josiah Petersen (front, from left), Jaden Enerson, Derek Dahmen, Aiden Micholski, Evan Miller, Patrick Brambrink, Bryce Gapinski, Jace Molitor and Gavyn Wirth; (middle, from left) manager Noah Fitch, Chase Dahler, Gavin Owen, Deegan Beck, Trey Emmerich, Noah Brunn, Alex Jennissen, Brett Leabch, Jake Monson, Reed Hermanson, Keagon Frisbie and Jonathan Engmark; (back, from left) assistant coach Dallas Albertson, assistant coach Jay Keeler, assistant coach Jay Storkamp, assistant coach Dan Marod and head coach Mike Beier – are the Section 6AA champions after they defeated Eden Valley-Watkins 6-3 and 6-4 June 8 at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. The Falcons advance to the Minnesota State High School League Class AA Baseball State Tournament and will play Tuesday, June 13, against Perham at Dick Putz Field.

Falcons complete improbable section run, sweep EV-W

BY TOM FENTON STAFF WRITER

The elimination bracket in a section baseball tournament can be a cruel place. Perhaps no program in the state knows that better than the Foley Falcons.

Fighting back to the top requires several fresh pitching arms, timely hitting and maybe a bit of luck. Heavy favorites to win the last two Section 6AA tournaments, Foley stumbled in the early rounds and were unable to string together enough wins to reach the championship game. A deep pitching staff ensured that did not happen again.

The Falcons clawed their way back through the win-orgo-home bracket, culminated by defeating top-seeded Eden Valley-Watkins twice in the championship round –6-3 and 6-4 – before a huge crowd on a picturesque evening at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. It capped a frenzied four days for Foley, which won five straight games to clinch the program’s second berth in the Minnesota State

for title

The Falcons (22-5) last appeared in state competition in 2019, suffering devastating defeats in the past two section tournaments, making this win that much sweeter.

“You always hear people on TV say they’re at a loss of words, and I’m almost there,” said Foley head coach Mike Beier, who is in his 20th season with the program.

“We’ve had great teams for the last how many years, but you’re not guaranteed anything. And after the last two years, you wonder if you’ll ever get back. I know we’re good enough, but it’s not that easy. A combination of a lot of things have to go your way. It’s a great feeling.”

The Falcons will face Perham at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 13, at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. Semifinals are 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, also at Dick Putz Field.

The state championship is 10 a.m. Friday, June 16, at CHS Field in downtown St. Paul.

“We knew we could do it, but I knew I had to pitch well and throw strikes. It’s an awesome feeling right now.”

Emmerich was available to start game two because the Falcons jumped to a 6-0 lead after two innings in the opener, allowing Beier to pull one of their top pitchers after three innings and conserve his arm for game two. After a 40-minute break between games, Emmerich stepped on the mound again. He went 3 1/3 innings, striking out seven while giving up one earned run.

“It’s been a dream for a while for a lot of us, especially since the last two years didn’t go well,” said junior p

celebrates after recording the final out of

Eagles twice, including 6-4 in the second game, to advance to state.

Emmerich was 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the clinching victory for Foley, which led 4-1 after the first inning. Josiah Petersen’s RBI double

proved to be crucial. Patrick Brambrink and Jaden Enerson also drove in runs for

the Falcons, who added insurance to their one-run lead when Emmerich drove in a run on a bases-loaded bunt that caught the Eagles by surprise.

In the top of the seventh, Foley secured a diving catch from center fielder

Championship page 3B

PHOTO BY TOM FENTON

The Foley baseball team

the Section 6AA championship against Eden Valley-Watkins June 8 at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. The Falcons defeated the

High School League Class AA Baseball State Tournament.

Trey Emmerich, who started both games on the mound, getting a win in the opener.

PHOTO BY TOM FENTON

Junior Josiah Petersen beats the throw to cross home plate for an early run in the Section 6AA championship against Eden Valley-Watkins June 8 at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. Petersen had three hits and scored twice in the 6-3 win.

Gavyn Wirth, robbing EVW’s leadoff hitter of at least a double. That is all the confidence relief pitcher Derek Dahmen needed.

Championship from page 2B

“I knew I just had to throw strikes, and the defense would help me out in the sec- ond game,” said Dahmen, who pitched the final 3 2/3 innings to get the win, giving up one run while striking out five. “Gavyn, with that diving catch, was huge. That took a double away from them, and we were another out closer to this. It’s the best feeling ever.”

The first game was not without tense moments. The Falcons did not score after the second in-

ning. The Eagles scored once in the sixth and had two runs across with the help of a Foley throwing error in the bottom of the seventh.

The Falcons had six errors in the game, but Dahmen earned the final out with runners at the corners. Ju-

Leabch pitched three important innings, giving up two hits and one earned run.

“It was kind of a ‘here we go again’ type of moment when we lost the first game (in the section tournament),” said Petersen, who was 3-for-3 with an RBI triple in game one. “But we all kept a positive attitude and we knew we had the pitching to do it.

It’s great to carry on the Foley tradition of baseball and finally getting to state. It’s a big thing for us.” Enerson had the only other hit for the Falcons, who had RBIs from Bryce Gapinski, Emmerich and Leabch.

“It means everything to us,” said Dahmen,

who pitched the final inning of the game one win.

“Since we started practice in the fieldhouse, this is what we’ve been wanting to do. With most of us coming back from winning the VFW state championship, we had a little experience in tight games. It felt really good.”

Beier said he had concerns if his team would be able to pull off five wins in

four days and does not recall a team in Section 6AA ever doing so.

“I knew we had to get our bats healthy if we were going to do it,” Beier said. “It’s a big credit to these kids. You can’t count these kids out. I had some doubts, but I should know better because of what they did last year (in the VFW tournament), and they proved me wrong again.”

2023 CLASS AA BASEBALL STATE TOURNAMENT

PHOTO BY TOM FENTON Junior shortstop Jaden Enerson throws to first after fielding a ground ball in the Section 6AA championship against Eden Valley-Watkins June 8 at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. The Falcons outscored the Eagles twice to earn their second state trip in school history.

PHOTO BY TOM FENTON

Senior Aiden Micholski gets a lead from second base in the Section 6AA championship against Eden Valley-Watkins June 8 at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. Micholski scored a run in the 6-3 win.

“Has

HITTING

comes from the heart comes the heart

Petersen breaks Foley’s single-season home run record

BY EVAN MICHEALSON STAFF WRITER

Josiah Petersen, like many other students at Foley High School, is a three-sport athlete.

However, baseball has always been the sport that has stayed closest to his heart. Even while participating in football and wrestling, Josiah remained vigilant in training for baseball, visiting the batting cages by the baseball field when the weather was tolerable and making routine visits to the FHS fieldhouse during winter.

It is through this determination and preparation that Josiah succeeds. As a junior, he has been the most productive hitter for a talented Foley Falcons baseball squad heading to the 2023 Minnesota State High School League Class AA Baseball State Tournament.

“It’s a good feeling to be with your teammates – making it this far for a season-long goal we’ve all had,” said Josiah, the second hitter in the Falcons batting order.

While this captured goal was a season-long endeavor, it has lingered in Josiah’s mind for much longer. He has been familiar with a bat and glove since kindergarten, and he used Foley’s youth baseball program to cultivate an accomplished Falcons career, keeping the excitement fresh every spring.

“It brings out more fun,” he said. “The teammates around you and the atmosphere of Foley baseball, it helps you strive to win and have fun while doing it.”

Fun, as it turns out, has been the best source of inspiration for Josiah, who has transformed himself into one of the fiercest hitters the Falcons have ever

had. The right-handed slugger has squared up nine home runs, a new single-season record for the Foley baseball program. As odd as it may sound, Josiah’s surge in power is coming from taking less aggressive swings.

“You can’t overthink, swing too hard or go up there thinking you’ll hit a home run every time,” Josiah said. “You have to relax and not swing too hard. You have to make sure the barrel hits the ball and see what happens from there.”

The youngster’s mindset, based around discipline and patience, have formed through a variety of influences, most notably Foley baseball head coach Mike Beier and his father, Jordan, a former collegiate player who has served as Josiah’s training partner since the fourth grade.

“We’ve always had that special father-son time to go out to the cages or the field and work on the little things and understand the game,” Jordan said. “I have another son, Henry, and he enjoys coming as well. We enjoy going to the fields, all three of us.”

As Josiah gains more experience on the diamond and exposes himself to higher levels of competition, he has become a beacon of baseball strength not only in physical terms – though he stands at 6 feet, 2 inches and weighs close to 200 pounds –but also from the mental aspect of America’s pastime. He understands how to induce swings and misses and weak contact as both a pitcher and catcher for the Falcons, and his game knowledge has furthered his overall success.

“At home, we’re watching baseball 24/7 and he’s picking up things on the field,” Jordan said. “It’s carried over. His base-

ball knowledge has surpassed mine now because he’s constantly watching college baseball and the major leagues. He knows exactly what he wants to do out on the field.”

Valuable insights from experienced sources have turned Josiah into a pitch-smashing machine, with the devastating ability to hit to all parts of the field. While the underclassman has been a lethal home-run threat, he is incredibly consistent, driving a team-leading 47 hits in 87 at-bats. Finding a reliable, repetitive form at the plate has come from hours of perfecting his swing.

“I’ve got a spot on my lawn that doesn’t grow grass anymore because he hits off the tee so much that he’s ground that grass into nothing,” Jordan said.

Imbued with an increased sense of confidence after his hard work, Josiah started the 2023 spring season with a bang, hitting his first homer in Foley’s second game of the season versus Zimmerman April 24.

However, it was the Falcons’ second matchup against Zimmerman that cemented Josiah’s reputation as a hitter to be feared, with the big-time power hitter driving three home runs over the fence in a 10-1 win May 15.

“I surprised myself,” Josiah said. “It was a good moment to share with teammates and coaches and a good wake-up call that I could actually beat the record.”

High-arcing, fence-clearing blasts became a regular occurrence for Josiah. There was the second home run against Annandale in as many seasons in a 21-run outburst May 23, and a deep shot to center against Pierz May 18.

Regardless of the situation, Josiah was ready.

“I’m trying to go up there trusting myself, having confi-

dence and having fun with it,” he said. “You tend to play your best when you’re having fun with your teammates and not overthinking everything.

Josiah saved his best hitting for last, going 4-for-4 at the plate as Foley swept Eden Valley-Watkins in the Section 6AA championship to advance to state. With a mighty swing and a winning attitude to boot, Foley’s latest record-setting hitter continues to improve and thrive as an athlete heading into the Falcons’ second trip to the state tournament.

“We’re really thrilled he could help his team out and pursue his dream of playing baseball at another level,” Jordan said.

VARSITY ROSTER2023

# POSition NAME GRADE

Jace Molitor

Trey Emmerich

Josiah Petersen

Bryce Gapinski

Alexander Jennissen

Brett Leabch

Evan Miller

Gavyn Wirth

Jaden Enerson

Chase Dahler

Aiden Micholski

Patrick Brambrink

Keagon Frisbie

Deegan Beck

Jake Monson

Reed Hermanson

Derek Dahmen

Gavin Owen

Jonathan Engmark

Noah Brunn

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Josiah Petersen delivers a powerful swing during the Section s June 6 at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. Petersen has hit nine home runs this season, a new Foley baseball single-season record.

Josiah Petersen removes his catcher’s mask following the end of an inning June 1 at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. Petersen’s baseball knowledge is often shown through his efforts behind the plate, just one of several impressive aspects the junior brings to the state-bound Foley Falcons.

What started out as a closely-contested game through the first five innings concluded with a convincing 10-1 win for the Falcons over Milaca April 18.

The game remained tight until Bryce Gapinski broke the game open with a three-run shot over the fence in the sixth inning.

In addition to its performance at the plate, Foley dominated on the mound with pitching from Evan Miller, Trey Emmerich, Derek Dahmen and Josiah Petersen.

FOLEY 6 - ZIMMERMAN 3 -

The Falcon pitching combination of Dahmen, Miller and Gapinski racked up 15 strikeouts through seven innings in a 6-3 win against the Zimmerman Thunder April 24.

The Falcons lineup supported its pitching staff with a surge of offense, led by a single and three stolen bases from Gapinski.

An RBI double from Emmerich and a Petersen sacrifice fly in the second inning provided the game-winning spark. Petersen later hit a home run to dead center field for Foley’s final run.

FOLEY 7 - LITTLE FALLS 5 -

After falling behind 3-0 in a Granite Ridge Conference battle against Little Falls, the Falcons dominated a comeback effort to end the game with a 7-5 victory April 28.

Petersen settled in on the mound, striking out eight batters before turning the ball over to Dahmen to finish the final innings with four strikeouts of his own.

FOLEY 16 - KIMBALL 8 - KIMBALL

For three innings, the Kimball Cubs and Falcons matched each other run-for-run, scoring a pair of runs in each half-inning to create a 6-6 tie.

Foley broke the matchup open with five walks and four singles, leading to eight runs and ultimately a 16-8 victory May 2.

The Falcons proved it would not lose a second consecutive match against conference foe Cathedral with five runs in six innings May 4.

The game concluded with 10 runs for Foley with double-digit points and a shutout performance from the mound for Petersen, who allowed only five hits.

Petersen lined a two-run home run to fuel a seven-run second inning in Foley’s 9-0 win over Mora to sweep a conference doubleheader May 11.

Jennissen recorded two hits and two RBIs.

The trio of Gapinski, Aiden Micholski and Brambrink kept Mora’s lineup at bay, allowing two hits in a combined seven innings of work

Having suffered its first loss the day prior, the Foley baseball squad piled on 14 runs in the first inning alone while handing the Bluejackets a 19-1 loss May 5.

The gaudy run total gave all the support needed for the three-thrower combination of Gavin Owen, Miller and Dahmen, who pitched four innings of one-run ball.

Another home run from Petersen kickstarted an impressive 5-2 road win over Royalton May 12.

Emmerich hit an RBI single in the third inning and scored on a wild pitch with Jennissen scoring the final run on a sacrifice fly.

Miller earned the win with a solid relief appearance, pitching two shutout innings.

Trailing 5-4 entering the sixth, the Falcons put together a spirited rally to defeat conference contender Albany 7-5 May 9.

Jace Molitor scored on an Alex Jennissen fielder’s choice, Jaden Enerson came home on an error and Emmerich knocked in Jennissen with an RBI double for an important insurance run.

Gapinski logged two runs and two hits, including a triple.

The long ball was Foley’s best friend in a convincing conference win. Petersen went yard three times as part of a five-homer outburst in a 10-1 victory over the Thunder May 15.

Jennissen and Dahmen also connected on big flies while Owen picked up the win with four shutout innings.

Seven runs in a two-inning span were enough to down the Huskies in the second game of a doubleheader May 9.

Patrick Brambrink got Foley on the board with a two-run single during a two-hit day while Gapinski and Petersen also contributed a pair of hits and combined for three runs scored and three RBIs.

Owen and Dahmen combined for six innings pitched, striking out six.

Gapinski smashed a home run and reached base four times, Molitor scored three runs and the Falcons used an 11-hit performance to take down Holdingford 14-4 May 16.

Foley scored seven runs in the third, two coming from a double by Micholski.

Miller pitched all five innings, relinquishing three earned runs while striking out five.

A seven-inning gem from Tommy Gohman put the Falcons in unfamiliar territory, as Cathedral grinded out a 2-1 win in Foley’s first loss of the 2023 season May 4. The result overshadowed a strong outing from Falcons starter Emmerich, who relinquished four hits and one earned run in a complete six-inning performance.

Brett Leabch was a man on a mission against the Mora Mustangs, striking out 11 batters in a completegame, one-run performance in a 6-1 triumph May 11. Petersen was 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBIs and Emmerich and Enerson pitched in to the scoring effort with RBI singles.

Always a back-and-forth rivalry, the Pioneers rolled to a 9-6 game-on doubleheader win against the Falcons May 18 at Pierz High School.

A two-run home run from Petersen cemented Foley to a strong start, but a three-run third and a six-run sixth from Pierz put the conference bout out of reach for the Falcons

It took 10 innings, but the Falcons battled to a bounce-back 5-4 win over Pierz to split a doubleheader May 18.

The Falcons won in walk-off fashion, with Leabch coming around to score on a Pierz error in the bottom of the 10th.

Gapinski, Petersen and Micholski logged a pair of hits in the triumph.

Another tough turn of events arrived for Foley against the Crusaders in the Section 6AA quarterfinals June 1, as a seventh-inning wild pitch led the Crusaders to a 4-3 win.

The Falcons struggled to sustain opportunities at the plate, registering only five hits in the game and going down 1-2-3 in the seventh to drop to the elimination bracket.

Foley showed early promise in the high-intensity battle, but ultimately came up short against Eden ValleyWatkins in a 6-4 loss May 19.

The Eagles took advantage of control issues on the mound from Foley and a fourth-inning rally effort from the Falcons was not enough for a comeback.

The Falcons did not dwell on moving to the elimination bracket of sections, defeating Holdingford in a 3-0 win June 5.

Dahmen twirled a gem to help Foley advance, allowing three hits and no runs in 5 1/3 innings. Petersen picked up four strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings of relief.

Leabch led the way with two hits and an RBI.

Gapinski hit a two-run double, Leabch smacked a team-high three hits and the Falcons earned a share of the Granite Ridge Conference title with a convincing 12-4 road win over the Milaca Wolves May 22.

Gapinski’s extra-base knock capped off a four-run second inning as Foley exploded for 12 hits in building an advantage.

After a six-run lead quickly turned into a two-run advantage, the Falcons buckled down and outpaced the Albany Huskies in an 11-6 triumph in the section elimination bracket June 6.

Gapinski scored three times and Emmerich knocked in two, with the pair also combining for five innings pitched. Brambrink added a two-run single to fuel a four-run first inning, and the Falcons added four more in the second.

The Falcons recorded at least six runs in two different innings against the Cardinals, collecting 15 hits in an electrifying 21-9 win at home May 23.

Petersen posted an incredible 4-for-4, four-RBI showing, Dahmen accumulated five RBIs, and Gavyn Wirth connected on a pair of hits as nine Falcons logged base knocks.

The Cardinals turned a 6-0 Foley lead into a 6-6 tie. However, the Falcons relinquished only three runs thereafter, with pitchers Emmerich and Dahmen and Micholski allowing six total hits.

The Falcons earned revenge over Cathedral in rapid-fire fashion, battling past its conference rivals by a score of 5-3 to advance to the section championship.

Foley fell behind 1-0 on a home run during the first at-bat of the game, but back-to-back errors from the Crusaders led to the Falcons getting on the board in the third.

Brambrink and Reed Hermanson each gashed RBI base hits to tie the game at three before Micholski produced the game-winning two-run single in the sixth.

In a battle of co-Granite Ridge Conference champions, it was Little Falls who grabbed a 3-2 win over Foley May 26.

Emmerich, Miller, Leabch and Petersen combined to relinquish only one earned run on the mound with eight strikeouts, but Foley’s offense only mustered six hits, two coming off the bat of Jennissen.

Facing the No. 1 seed in a final chance to complete a miraculous lower-bracket run, the Falcons picked up a critical run to set up a winner-take-all match, defeating Eden Valley-Watkins by a score of 6-3 June 8.

Foley piled up all six of its runs in the first two innings. Petersen totaled three hits in three at-bats.

Emmerich pitched three shutout innings to start the game, while Dahmen slammed the door shut with a clean relief frame.

Despite mustering only three hits, the Falcons did just enough to escape a first-round section upset, defeating the Sting 6-4 May 30.

Sting errors in the second and fourth inning led to two Foley runs, while a balk forced home the Falcons’ sixth and final run.

Gapinski logged two hits and crossed home plate three times. Evan Miller picked up the win on the mound, relinquishing one earned run in 4 2/3 frames.

A fast-flying first inning guided the Falcons to its second-ever state trip, as Foley took down the Eagles 6-4 in the Section 6AA championship game June 8.

Emmerich posted two hits and two RBIs, Gavyn Wirth made a diving catch in the outfield to preserve the lead and the pitching duo of Emmerich and Dahmen held on to the lead on the big stage as Foley closed out its fifth win in four days.

Gapinski, Petersen, Leabch and Enerson also scored in the victory.

FOLEY FALCONS BASEBALL

A. He collided with another player in outfield got a bloody nose but still made the catch.

B. He sometimes catches baseballs with his glove. This year, he tried to catch one with his face.

C. He is one of five 9-yearolds to hit a home run in the field’s 20-year history.

D. He has worn the same blue belt for games since fourth grade.

E. He has been known to wear his clothes inside out or backward without realizing it.

F. He can do the splits.

G. He is the best piano player on the team.

H. He has a sock superstition. After a loss in a pair of socks, he won’t wear them again.

I. He only wears certain socks on game day.

GOOD LUCK

J. He got his first varsity hit and ran the bases without cleats on.

K. As a young player, one of his favorite things to do was catch fly balls in the backyard for hours.

L. He has the same ritual going up to bat – kick around the dirt and make a cross in the dirt with my bat to remind him of what is really important.

M. He is a great shot with a 270; he can hit the center of the target at 400 yards while free standing. He enjoys shooting.

N. He grew so fast, his family had to buy two pairs of baseball cleats in one season.

O. He used to play catcher without protective equipment.

P. He wore the same dirty baseball cap for six years and still has it.

Q. At a batting practice, he hit the ball over the fence and it hit the coach’s truck.

R. Mike Beier was his wiffle ball coach first.

S. He received a black eye from a baseball in Little League.

T. He wore his belt backward all season long.

Fun FAct s FActs Falcons

JOSIAH PETERSEN

GAVYN WIRTH

KEAGON FRISBIE

GAVIN OWEN