State health officials say people that get their drinking water from a private well should take preventive actions to help protect that water from becoming contaminated in the event of flooding.

“If your well is in a flood-prone area and you have time, consider contacting a licensed well contractor to check your well and make any necessary repairs or changes to help protect it from flooding,” the state said in a press release. “These changes may include repairing cracked or damaged casing, extending the well casing above the expected flood level, or temporarily replacing the vented well cap with a watertight cap or cover. You should also make sure that grading allows water to flow away from your well.”

In addition people can take the following steps:

Stock up on a supply of clean water that will last for a few days.
Shut off power to the well pump to avoid having floodwater pumped into your plumbing system or home.
If there is little time to act, cover the well with a heavy plastic bag or sheeting and secure it with electrical tape. This won’t completely protect your well from contamination, but it will help reduce the amount of water and debris that could enter your well, making cleanup easier.

“If floodwater reaches your well, assume it is contaminated. Water from your well should not be used for drinking, cooking or brushing your teeth until the floodwater recedes,” the state health department said.

If floodwater reaches the well, have it professionally inspected and decontaminated, officials said.

For more information, please contact the Well Management Section at MDH at health.wells@state.mn.us or 651-201-4600 or 800-383-9808 or visit the Natural Disasters and Private Wells page on the MDH website.

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OAKLAND, Calif. — It looked like a harmless pop fly to shallow right. But after the ball fell between two fielders, it triggered an avalanche of pain for the Oakland Athletics.

Willi Castro’s gifted double was the beginning of a seven-run second inning for the Twins as they pulled away from the Athletics in a 10-2 win Saturday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum.

The offensive outburst came in support of starter Bailey Ober, who helped preserve a tired bullpen by tossing the first complete game of his career. Ober appeared to get stronger as the day went on, and he struck out all three batters he faced in the eighth inning. He finished with 10 strikeouts, tying a career high. He needed just 89 pitches to accomplish the feat.

Ober gave up a solo home run in the first inning to JJ Bleday, tying the game at the time, and a leadoff home run to Tyler Soderstrom an inning later. But for the most part, the starter was dominant, stifling the Athletics — he retired the last 17 batters he faced in order — while pitching with a healthy lead.

Castro’s double in the second set off a streak of six batters in a row to reach base. During that stretch, Manuel Margot hit a three-run home run and Jose Miranda sent a double to the gap, bringing home another pair of runs.

Later in the inning, Byron Buxton drove in a run with a double and Kyle Farmer had a run-scoring single, helping put the game firmly out of reach with the way Ober was throwing the ball.

Margot and Miranda each finished with three hits and three RBIs while Carlos Correa added three hits of his own and Royce Lewis went 2 for 5.

Totino-Grace’s motto for the baseball season was “one team, one goal.”

That goal was clear-cut from the outset of the campaign. Eagles coach Mike Smith asked every player what was his goal for the season.

“I think every guy on the team wrote, ‘State championship,’ ” senior third baseman Noah Hill said.

The goal was reached Saturday at Target Field, as the fourth-seeded Eagles held off second-seeded Mahtomedi 2-1 in the Class 3A state title game to win the program’s first state championship.

“It’s a pretty big moment for us,” said junior pitcher Tommy Heifort, who tossed a complete game, surrendering just four hits while striking out eight.

Mahtomedi junior Ethan Felling — a Texas Christian commit — was also dominant, allowing just four hits and two runs, only one of which was earned. But those runs came early, with the Eagles scoring in the first and third innings. Hill drove in both runs with singles to the outfield.

“Not my best swings I’ve ever had in my life, but that’s baseball. It gets it done,” Hill said. “It’s kind of how it’s been all year. Battling through, getting runs, anyway on. It’s just a team. It’s a bunch of best friends, so we all battle for each other. Anyway to get it done.”

Felling noted that after Totino-Grace (19-8) plated its two runs, he was anticipating the Zephyrs (22-5) would respond, as they often do.

“But, obviously, it’s tough when they have a stud going on the mound,” Felling said. “We fell into a little bit of a hole there, and then we couldn’t get the momentum turned around. It was tough.”

Austin Felling had a pair of hits for the Zephyrs, while first baseman Max Strecker added another. Strecker said Mahtomedi is a “situational hitting team.” He noted the Zephyrs’ at-bats improved as the game wore on. Mahtomedi got on the board in the sixth, with Gunnar Sather scoring on a double steal.

Heifort struck out the next batter to end the threat. And in the bottom of the seventh, with seemingly all the pressure in the world on his shoulders, the pitcher found himself cracking a smile.

He wasn’t pondering the thought of the Zephyrs tying the game. All the junior was thinking about was closing in on a state title. He retired the side in order, striking out the last two batters to secure the title and cue the celebration.

“It’s unbelievable,” Hill said of the celebration. “It’s so fun. I’ve never had that feeling before.”

For Mahtomedi, being on the opposite end was an all-too-familiar feeling. The Zephyrs finished second for a second straight season after falling to New Prague in the title game a year ago.

“So it’s starting to get to the part where it’s like, ‘When are we going to come through and get it done?’ ” Ethan Felling said. “Yeah, it’s tough, but it’s awesome that they put on this event, and having it at Target Field makes it so much cooler for our guys.”

It was a grand stage fitting for the conclusion of not only a season but an era. Ethan Felling was the only non-senior in Mahtomedi’s batting order Saturday. The other eight have played together for the past seven or eight years.

“Being able to be on the biggest stage with them in our last game with them as seniors is pretty special,” Austin Felling said. “We’re an awesome group, we’re very tight, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Well, maybe with a win. But it was awesome.”