Return to Sports Archives

After hitting .398 this spring for the Bulldogs with 12 homeruns and 32 RBIs, Kampsen was the sixth PAHS player to participate in the all star series, joining his brother Josh (2003), Doug Fuchs (2000), Ryan Wuertz (1996), Marc Schmitz (1983), and Lynn Hemmesch (1978).

Major leaguers who played in the all star series in the last 30 years include: Tim Laudner (1976), Jim Eisenreich (1977), Kent Hrbek (1978) (who roomed with Hemmesch), Mike Kingery (1979), Terry Stein-bach (1980), and Joe Mauer (2001).

"It was a lot of fun," Kampsen said. "The north team, I think, had the best team chemistry. For a group of guys, no one knowing anybody, we had a lot of fun."

Of his teammates on the north team, Kampsen knew only catcher Matt Meyer from Albany and the three coaches from Albany, Eden Valley, and St. Cloud Cathedral.

The 30th Lions All Star Series was held in Chaska on Friday, June 25, and Saturday, June 26. The north team lost 6-4 to metro west on Friday, lost 2-1 to metro east on Saturday, and beat the south 7-5 on Saturday.

Kampsen played third base and first base and served as the designated hitter, batting either third or fourth in each game. He had four hits in ten at bats in the three games, including three doubles and that two-run homer against the south.

His homer came in the fifth inning, as the north scored five runs to rally and win against the south.

In their previous two games, the north had led against both metro teams. The metro west all stars scored three runs in the seventh inning and three more in the eighth to win 6-4 on Friday evening, and the metro east all stars broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the top of the seventh on Saturday afternoon.

The north team was just as talented as the metro teams, according to Kampsen, the son of Liza Kampsen. All the players were good, he added, which he expected since it was an all star series with the state's best high school players.

The one opposing player who stood out to Kampsen was Tim Rademacher, the Class AAA Player of the Year from Rosemount who has signed to play Division I baseball and threw 89 mph. The north faced Rademacher in their first game, with Kampsen getting their only hit in three innings against him. He hit a double off the fence in right-center, but unfortunately a north runner was thrown out at home trying to score on the play.

Kampsen really turned heads at the tournament, according to his high school coach Brad Skoglund, who did not attend the tourney but heard from numerous opposing coaches about Kampsen's hitting and overall play.

This spring Kampsen, who was chosen as the conference MVP and as the Player of the Year by the St. Cloud Times, has participated in two tryouts with Major League teams. In May, he tried out for the Seattle Mariners in Ely.

In June, he and his older brother Josh tried out for the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome. One hundred and forty players came to the tryout, and both Kampsens were among the 35 players invited back for the second day. The Twins told them that they will follow their collegiate careers. Adam plays amateur baseball for the Lake Henry Lakers and plans to play baseball at Northern State University, where he will pursue a degree in special education.