How The Muskies Competed at The Gay Softball World Series

Throughout the years, the MN Muskies softball team has participated in many competitions. Each competition reinforces the team’s determination to succeed through the balance of talent, coordination and game planning. Through their dedication to the sport and team that they love, each member of the Muskies, both on and off the field, has helped accomplish a second-place finish at this year’s Gay Softball World Series (GSWS).

Eric Sawyer joined the Muskies around 2018 after already being a proud part of the Twin Cities Goodtime Softball League (TCGSL) since around 2011. He recalls his start with the Muskies and how they have grown throughout the years.

“They had already had a group of players, and I came on the second year of the team. They had taken one team and split. One became the Muskies. We started out as a very high D team, a very low C team. And then based on that, we just kind of started to evolve the team, I would say, bringing on new players. We decided we wanted to be a C team and compete at the C level. So, we started recruiting some players from there,” Sawyer says.

When building the Muskies, Sawyer, as well as the other coaches and manager nicknamed the “brain trust,” selected players from an array of areas. Some players were picked up after the dissolution of other teams. Others were selected because their skill level called for them to compete at a higher level. Using this process of selection, the Muskies became a team that not only consisted of very talented players but also had a good rapport.

“When we go to bring on somebody from the team from somewhere else, the first thing we talk about, it’s not even their talent, not about how good they are on the field, it’s how well they’re going to mesh inside of the chemistry of the team. So, we don’t want anything that’s going to be a negative factor to that chemistry. It has to be a positive factor,” Sawyer says.

Because of their ability to form together as a team in terms of talent and respect, the Muskies found themselves winning second place this season at the GSWS. Each individual player worked with one another to make each game count. During the tournament, they treated every game as a way to learn and work toward the next. The team found success from the efforts of every player.

Sawyer enthusiastically described the excellent pitches from pitchers, John Hagerstrom and Hector Holgiun. Utilizing strategies from brain trusts, Jeff Gerlach was in charge of the infield and Derrick Nelson the outfield. Garrett Janssen made some significant plays in the outfield and Jeremy Aurzada made an entertaining winning run. And, in the dugout, Travis Bauer was there to take photographs and encourage the team. These moments were only a handful of the many examples of the team’s incredible talent. Given the time, Sawyer could go into great detail describing every player’s role throughout the game due to the impressive amount of skill each player displayed. He was there to coach the team, but he shies away from any credit.

“All I had to do was manage the team and basically just coach a base and that’s really all I did. And the team did everything else. I would love to be able to take credit for any of it, but this team just, I mean, they could have, they would have done this well no matter what. I think they’re just that talented,” Sawyer says.

While the players and coaches make up an important part of the Muskies, the team also thrives through the many individuals working off the field. Jen Kuhl has been an “invaluable” member of the team working as a part-time bookkeeper during the last three GSWS. Her work in bookkeeping serves an important role in allowing the games to run smoothly.

Through it all, the Muskies play well because of their mutual respect for the game and one another. They continue to find new ways to improve, and they never forget to be grateful for one another. Sawyer pronounces his gratitude for the team and the sport as a whole.

“It’s that fine line of being able to have fun, but building a team that can be very competitive and do exactly what this team did, make a run over the past three years to go from a top 20 team to a top 10 team to the second place team in three years is pretty impressive for the amount of talent that has to be on a field and the amount of luck that you have to have,” Sawyer says.

The Muskies plan on continuing to play hard and work together. They are now looking ahead at competing within the B division, a challenge they are excited to face.