Maple Grove Baseball Loses to Farmington in State 4A Semifinals

The Maple Grove baseball team lost 7-5 to defending class AAAA champion Farmington in the state tournament semifinals, ending the Crimson’s hopes for the program’s first state championship.

In a game suspended in the top of the second inning from Wednesday after rains and lightning postponed play, the Crimson came out swinging in the second, scoring four runs on four hits to take a 4-0 lead.

The Crimson added a run in the top of the third to lead 5-0.

But the Tigers chipped away at the lead. Gabe Bombardier led off the Farmington fourth inning with a homerun, sparking a three-run inning.

Then in the bottom of the sixth inning, Farmington second baseman Luke Walton hit a grand slam to rightfield giving the Tigers the lead.

Tyler Borlik pitched four and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief for the Tigers to earn the win and send them to the state title game Friday night at Target Field.