Two of the top teams in Class 4A, Section 5AAAA will go head-to-head during the upcoming Baseball Day Minnesota, as Maple Grove and Mounds View square off in a highly anticipated matchup.

Maple Grove is coming off a .500 season, where they dropped six one-run games and were eliminated in the second round of the section tournament—ironically, by Mounds View. The Mustangs, meanwhile, rebounded from a first-round state exit the previous year to finish as the Class 4A runner-up in 2024, falling just short to East Ridge in the championship game.

“We were in all the games last year,” said Maple Grove head coach Jeff Peterson. “It was just the growing pains—mistakes you make as a sophomore or freshman at the varsity level. This year, though, we’ve got high expectations with a strong group of juniors ready to lead.”

One of the youngest teams in the Northwest Suburban Conference last season, Maple Grove returns with more experience and a hungry core, led by junior captain Evan O’Dwyer.

“There’s a core group of us who’ve played together for eight, nine years,” said O’Dwyer. “We know each other well—what we’re good at, what we need to work on. This year, there’s a fire in us. We’re antsy to get back at it. Last year ended too soon, and we want another shot at CHS Field.”

Maple Grove last reached the state tournament in 2022, when O’Dwyer was an eighth grader watching from the stands. That year, his older brother Brian O'Dwyer helped lead the Crimson to a third-place finish. Brian now plays infield at UW-Superior, while Evan, now a team captain, is focused on bringing his own squad back to Target Field for a shot at the title.

“Just being in the stands back then, part of that Crimson wave... bringing back a state championship would be an amazing feeling,” he said.

The rematch with Mounds View in this year's Baseball Day Minnesota is more than just an exhibition—it’s a chance for redemption.

“Playing them is always a grind. It’s actually our last game before sections start, so it’s always a great battle,” said Peterson. “Even last year, when we were young, we played them tough.”

O’Dwyer echoed the sentiment.

“There’s definitely a rivalry with Mounds View. We’ve got a lot of motivation to beat them after the last couple of years. It’s going to be a competitive game—we’re all excited for it.”

Regardless of the outcome on May 17, Peterson says the opportunity to represent Maple Grove in Baseball Day Minnesota is an honor.

“Our baseball programs took a hit after COVID, but that 2022 state run really brought excitement back,” said Peterson. “Events like Baseball Day are helping grow the game again in our community.”

He added: “When I talk to people around here, I compare it to Hockey Day Minnesota—and hockey is huge in Maple Grove. One of the biggest associations in the country. But our youth program, OMEGA, has been fired up about baseball lately. This event is a great chance to keep building that momentum.”

---

Theo Tollefson is an independent journalist who lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. He currently covers the Twins and St. Paul Saints for ZoneCoverage MN, and has also worked for news outlets such as Racket, KAAL in Rochester, the Rochester Post Bulletin, and the Hastings Journal. 

---

BASEBALL DAY MINNESOTA INFO & TICKETS

Duluth Marshall and Montevideo square off at 10 AM on Saturday, May 17th at Lions Field in Waconia. Tickets for the day's event can be found in the link below.

Save $2 per ticket by ordering your tickets in advance:

$14 for adults
$8 for seniors
$6 for high school/college students
12 & under wearing jerseys are free

🎟 ORDER YOUR TICKETS NOW 🎟