“Attack the Moment”: Perham Baseball Returns to State Seeking Program’s First Championship

PERHAM, Minn. (KVRR) – The Perham Yellowjackets are heading back to the state tournament for the fourth consecutive season after defeating East Grand Forks 4-1 on Tuesday in the Section 8AA championship game.

Perham’s latest trip to state was built on timely hitting, dominant pitching and a defensive performance that showcased exactly why the Yellowjackets have become one of Minnesota’s premier baseball programs.

The final outs were recorded on a game-ending double play started by Kade Raser , fitting for a team that turned several key defensive gems throughout the afternoon. Even when Perham made a rare mistake in the field, the Yellowjackets found a way to erase it.

A big play by Lyam Schumacher came in the early innings.

“All of a sudden we’ve got an overthrow on the catcher,” head coach James Mulcahy said. “The shortstop runs out there, gets it, and nails the guy at home. You’re never going to see that play in baseball again, but he had the wherewithal to do it. Then just starting the double plays. That’s what this group does.”

After a scoreless battle through the early innings, Perham’s offense broke through in the fourth. Gavin Griffin sparked the rally with an infield RBI single, and Ty Rooney finished the rally adding another RBI as the Yellowjackets plated four runs in the frame to take control.

That was all sophomore pitcher Micah Lung needed.

Lung settled in and delivered a strong outing on the mound, relying on the defense behind him while shutting down East Grand Forks the rest of the way.

“Trusting the guys, you know,” Lung said. “A little bit of a rough start, but once the boys get hot, we get hot and always find a way to wrap it in. I love my seniors, the confidence they put in me, and just having coaches that trust me to come out here as young as I am and put me in situations like this. It’s great for learning, and we have a great program going here.”

The 4-1 victory sends Perham back to the state tournament for the fourth straight year and the 13th state appearance in program history.

For senior third baseman and pitcher Bradyn Anderson, the accomplishment is meaningful, but the Yellowjackets know their work isn’t finished.

“It’s a great feeling,” Anderson said. “We’ve been there before. We haven’t gotten it done at state yet, but it’s a great feeling to know we’re going back, especially a fourth time in a row.”

Despite 12 previous state tournament appearances and two runner-up finishes, Perham is still chasing its first state championship. Mulcahy believes this year’s team has the mentality to finally break through.

“We’ve kind of had the motto of ATM — Attack The Moment,” Mulcahy said. “They do. When push comes to shove, they’re going to attack in their situation. No moment is too big for them. They’re ready to go and they stand behind each other.

“You have ups and downs during a season, but they’ve always rallied together. They have each other’s backs all day, every day, and that’s key for a team to have success.”

Now, the Yellowjackets will get another opportunity to turn that mindset into history as they chase the program’s first-ever state baseball title.