Dingers and wedding bells

Published 6:22 pm Tuesday, June 15, 2021

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ST. CLOUD — Hayfield senior Erik Bungum had a big day at the plate Tuesday with two hits and two RBIs in the Vikings’ 16-1 win over Adrian-Ellsworth in the quarterfinals of the Minnesota Class A State Baseball Tournament.

But it’s not the only big thing going on for the Bungum family this week.

Erik’s older sister Jo Bungum, a Hayfield grad herself and teacher for the district, is set to get married this Saturday in Hayfield, making the week a hectic but exciting one for the whole family.

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“It’s definitely really busy for me right now. The wedding is really exciting for my sister,” Erik said. “It would be really exciting to win a state championship on Friday and then go back to the wedding on Saturday. That would be awesome.”

If things go as planned, Jo will spend Wednesday in St. Cloud, Friday in Minneapolis for baseball, and Saturday in Hayfield and Rochester for her wedding. Jo planned her wedding a year and a half ago, and made sure to keep it from colliding with the state baseball tournament.

“I’m excited to get married, but I wouldn’t miss (the state tournament) for the world. I have to be here to support Erik and the baseball team,” Jo said. “We planned the wedding for a year and a half, but we planned the week around baseball. It was a good choice.”

With the Vikings winning a state basketball title this winter and now competing for a state baseball title, it is a great time to live in Hayfield.

“I’ve been watching these guys since they were 10U players and iIt’s been fun watching them grow up,” Jo said. “Hayfield has always been a fun place to watch and play sports. When I was playing, we never got this opportunity to get this far, but watching these boys get this far is a huge thing for a small town. Everyone knows everyone and everyone supports everyone.”