09/23/26
 

One could look at the second half of the Minnoka Grays’ season as a disappointment, but then you’re probably not much of a baseball fan — and might not know much about sports. If you haven’t heard by now, the Grays fell short of making history with a four-peat as Class AAA champions in the Federal League. The Rosemount Pipers first defeated the Grays 3-1 on Opening Weekend of the playoffs. The following weekend, the two teams met again in the championship game, where the Pipers prevailed 7-5 to leave the Grays as runners-up in 2026.

But the real story here is that the Grays never gave up.
 

Minnoka wrapped up the regular season at 17-1, winning the division for the sixth consecutive season and entering the Class AAA bracket as the No. 1 seed. They handled a tough Elko team 10-0 behind a masterpiece from Bub Lovas. The next day, however, the Grays fell to the Pipers, suffering their first opening-weekend playoff loss since 2001. To reach the championship game, the Grays would have to battle their way through the losers’ bracket — and the gauntlet awaiting them was anything but easy.
 

The following Thursday, the Grays faced a scrappy St. Louis Park squad. Backed by a one-hitter from Jack and Taylor Nelson, the baby blues rolled to an 11-0 victory. Their reward? A Saturday afternoon showdown with longtime rivals and friends, the East Metro Mammoth.
 

Once again, Bub Lovas was exceptional, tossing a complete-game gem in a 4-1 victory. The Grays got a few hours of rest before taking on a hot Minnetonka Saints team. After surrendering a first-inning home run, Taylor Nelson settled in and quieted the Saints’ high-powered offense. Meanwhile, Matt Johnson was crushing doubles off the top of the wall, and Dustin Wolf continued driving in runs. The Grays came away with a 9-3 win, punching their ticket to a fifth consecutive Class AAA championship appearance — a streak that I believe is a Federal League record.
 

Unfortunately, just as in their first meeting with the Pipers, one bad inning would cost the Grays another shot at the Louie. With the game tied 2-2, things unraveled in the fourth inning. A few questionable walks and calls by the umpires, mixed with a costly error, helped the Pipers put together a four-run frame. It proved to be all the offense they needed. The Grays battled back, but despite their efforts, they couldn’t quite close the gap. The Pipers added another run in the bottom of the sixth before shutting the door in the seventh, securing a 7-5 victory and their first Federal League championship. The Grays collected 11 hits but spent much of the night stranding runners at second and third — a frustrating departure from a summer in which timely hitting had rarely been an issue. The heart, hustle and work from the Grays those two weekends will not be forgotten. 

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