The Chaska Cubs got to the state amateur baseball tournament after winning a three-game series and prevailing in a double-elimination tournament.

But teams have one shot one they reach state.

Chaska's season came to an end on Saturday night at Willmar with a 6-3 loss to Rochester.

By Michelle Stevens

Harold Swanson, a Chanhassen resident and retired homebuilder, turned 95 on July 29. He spent his birthday the same way he spends every Thursday morning – on the golf course.

Swanson scored a 43 on his birthday. After seeing his son-in-law, Mike Halleen, record it in the clubhouse, he said, “That’s a good score for me.” The other members of the senior league laughed and said it would be a good score for any of them, most of whom were 20 or more years his junior.

Yep. The PGA was in Chaska a year ago.

Star Tribune reporter Jim Souhan gets back in touch with 2009 champ Y.E. Yang, who told him,  “And this week I'm happy to be back for the tournament. I'm kind of sorry that it's not Hazeltine, but I'm happy to be at Whistling Straits.”

Last season, the Chaska Cubs had some key performers at the state Class B amateur baseball tournament.

They were just playing for other teams as draftees.

Cub ace Ryan Seifert went on to win the MVP honors for state-champion Shakopee, and former state tourney MVP Brad Keenan was in the lineup for second-place Prior Lake.

This time, the Cubs will do the drafting.

Chaska topped Shakopee 2-1 in the Section 3B playoffs on Tuesday to secure a spot in the state tournament, held in Willmar and Bird Island.

The Chaska Cubs got three quick runs in the Section 3B amateur baseball first-round playoff finale against Victoria on Saturday.

That turned out to be plenty.

Cub ace pitcher Ryan Seifert threw a no-hitter through five innings as Chaska put the Vics away 6-1 and take the three-game series.

The Cubs now travel to Green Isle for a 2 p.m. game on Sunday, Aug. 8.

The Chaska Cubs had to have a win on Wednesday, and they got it.

The Cubs edged Victoria 2-1 in the second of a three-game series Wednesday at Poppitz Field in Victoria in the first round of the Section 3 amateur baseball playoffs.

The Vics and Cubs are back at Chaska's Athletic Park for a 7:30 p.m. game on Friday, Aug. 6. The winner moves on to the next round of 3B play.

Victoria took the first game 6-4 on Sunday in Chaska.

The Chaska Cubs want to keep playing amateur baseball into late August and beyond.

But they'll have to win a couple crucial games to do it.

Victoria took the first game of the best-of-three Section 3B playoff series with a 6-4 victory on Sunday at Athletic Park.

The teams meet at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night (Aug. 4) at Poppitz Field in Victoria to continue the series. A Cubs win sets up a deciding game at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Athletic Park. A Vics win ends Chaska's season.

The 2010 Chaska River City Days Triathlon went a lot like the 2009 edition.

But just a little bit faster.

A pair of Chaskans repeated as overall champions on a sunsplashed Saturday morning at Firemans Park, in the kickoff event for the upcoming River City Days festivities.

Chaska native Nick Madrinich repeated as the men's overall champion, finishing a second faster than his 1:10 time last year.

Madrinich, a 2009 Chaska High School graduate who swims for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, studied abroad in Milan, Italy last year.