The season opener for the Shakopee baseball team could not have gone much better.
Junior Jack Morris and senior Jaden Case combined on a no-hitter in the Sabers’ 10-0 home victory over Waconia April 13. Morris went three innings, striking out six, while Case worked the last two innings with two strikeouts.
Shakopee followed the win dropping its first two South Suburban Conference games, falling 2-0 at No. 8-ranked Farmington April 14 and losing 4-3 at home to Eagan April 18.
The Sabers graduated eight seniors from last year’s 14-win team that reach the Section 2AAAA title game. Chanhassen denied Shakopee the state berth with a 2-0 victory in the winner-take-all finale.
Meanwhile, Farmington was the state runner-up last year and the 2021 state champion. Shakopee had just two hits in the loss to the Tigers, also the defending SSC champs.
Morris had a strong start taking the loss, working four innings and allowing three hits and one run with nine strikeouts. Senior Jordan La Tour struck out three in two relief innings, allowing one run.
Both of the Sabers’ hits were singles from senior Will Strait and Morris.
In the loss to Eagan, the Sabers allowed a 3-1 lead get away. The Wildcats scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to pull out the win.
Senior Alex Duncan took the loss, allowing three runs (one earned) in two innings of relief with three strikeouts. Case started and fanned four batters in five innings of work, allowing one run.
The Sabers’ three runs came on just four hits. Strait had two RBIs, finishing 1 for 2. Duncan had an RBI, while senior Tanner Ho was 1 for 3 with a run scored and junior Charlie Toenges doubled going 1 for 2.
Against Waconia, Ho and Duncan powered the Sabers at the plate. Ho finished 3 for 3 with two RBIs, two doubles, four runs scored and a stolen base, while Duncan was 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs.
Strait tripled and drove in a run for Shakopee, while Morris was 1 for 2 with an RBI. Senior Ryan Vosper scored a pair of runs, while Case and junior Connor McGee each had a hit.
The Sabers scored three runs in the first inning, added two more in the second and scored four times in the third to build a 9-0 lead.
Waconia is also Section 2AAAA foe. The Sabers will take on another section team April 24 playing at Prior Lake in SSC action.
Shakopee is scheduled to end the regular season May 24 at home versus Lakeville North in league play. Section action starts May 26 with the first round, while the title game is set for June 5.
The first two rounds of the Class 4A state tournament are June 13-14 at CHS Field in St. Paul. The title game is June 16 at Target Field in Minneapolis. Stillwater is the defending champion.
The Sabers’ last state berth was back in 1983.
