Rain halts Minnesota state high school baseball championships

FRIDLEY, Minn. — Monday's Minnesota state championship baseball games are delayed to Friday, but players are staying in the swing of things.

The Mounds View Mustangs baseball team didn't expect to be spending their Monday on its home turf. They should have been playing in the 4A state championship against East Ridge at Target Field.

Senior captain Aiden Bale looks at the rain-extended season as a best-case scenario.

"In the biggest game of our season, if we can sharpen everything up a little bit more going into this game, I think we have a good shot," Bale said.

Head coach Nik Anderson isn't worried that these extra four days will derail the team's competitive focus.

"Why are we prepped for it? We play baseball in Minnesota. You know, we spend all April doing exactly what we're doing today," Anderson said. "They were steering the ship, you know, from the minute that school got out saying, 'The job's not done.'"

Not too far away from the Mustangs, the Totino Grace Eagles also punched their ticket to the state championship game. Their drenched baseball diamond was empty on Monday, giving the team a break before getting re-focused.

"Can't control the weather (laughs)!" said head coach Mike Smith.

Smith remains in good spirits and says the rest is a gift to get these players ready to play their best baseball.

"Everybody's going to be fresh, everybody's going to be hungry, all those little owies that people get along the way will be healed up," he said.

Tickets for Monday's games will get you into Target Field on Friday.