Baseball, baseball and more baseball. That was my life this past week. I really enjoy broadcasting section baseball and softball in the spring.

I was put in an unusual situation this past week. I have broadcasted many Dawson/Boyd and Lac qui Parle Valley baseball games over the years, but none more important than Saturday’s game at Irish Yard. It was the Dawson/Boyd Blackjacks vs the LQPV Eagles. The Eagles have played in the semi finals a number of times in recent years, but to my knowledge the Blackjacks have not. The winner of Saturday’s game will advance to the section championship game Thursday and the right to play in the state tournament. So the bottom line was this was a big and very important game.

In the days leading up to Saturday I had been asked by many people who I was going to cheer for? What hat am I going to wear? The answer is simple. I can’t lose! I will cheer for both teams because I can’t lose. KLQP radio can’t lose. The winner, who I follow will play in the section championship game Thursday. I will be happy with whichever team wins. I think Darin Swenson and Darby Bjorgan have done a fantastic job coaching their teams. Baseball is alive and well in Lac qui Parle County.

Saturday at the Irish Yard was fun. My broadcast partner Bart Hill is the former LQPV baseball coach. He coached Eagles baseball for many years. Bart knows baseball, he lives and breathes it. I hoped the listeners understood that during the broadcast Bart was going to favor LQPV. I thought it unfair to ask him to be neutral during the broadcast Saturday. So what I decided to do and I hope the LQPV fans can understand and cut me some slack here, since we have section sponsors from from both communities, I put my Dawson/Boyd cap on and Bart wore his LQPV apparel. 50/50 broadcast from the two broadcasters. It went well. Dawson/Boyd won the game 3 to 1.

After the Blackjacks and Eagles game I drove to Marshall to watch the Montevideo Thunder Hawks and Luverne Cardinals play at Legion Field at 2:30. I got there just in time to watch the first pitch. My son Brandon is on the Montevideo coaching staff. I sat in the stands with my daughter-in-law Katie and grandchildren Gretta and Eli and cheered on the Hawks. No problem at this game deciding who I was going to cheer for. The game went 12 innings!!! Monte won 1 to 0! It was one of the best high school baseball games I have seen in a long time. You would think with the score being 1 to 0 it was a boring game. It was far from that! There was outstanding pitching, great defensive plays by both teams, players getting thrown out at home and the crowd was loud.

Saturday was a great day of baseball and I loved it. This Thursday Dawson/Boyd could again play LQPV for the right to go to state and I’m sure people will still ask me who will I cheer for? Can’t wait till Thursday!