Cloquet Falls In Consolation Semifinals

Trevor Cadwell-NSO

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June 18

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

MANKATO- When the 2010 boys baseball season started practicing this year, Cloquet boys baseball coach Rick Stowell stated, “On June 19th I’m going to be at Target field watching the state boys baseball championship, and my eye sight isn’t that good so why not just let me watch from the dugout?” Well that dream was nearly achieved here in 2010. However, it came up just short as the Lumberjacks lost in the consolation round on Friday to St. Anthony Village by a score of 8-3.

“It is not the ending we wanted, but we got over that hump,” head coach Rick Stowell told Northland Sports Online. That hump was the Lumberjacks first appearance at the state tournament in thirty five years. “I think we represented ourselves very well here and as you can see we never quit. This could be the start of good things for the program and hopefully going to state becomes the norm.”

The Huskies scored eight runs on eight hits and committed two errors while stranding eight base runners. The Lumberjacks managed only three runs on six hits. The Jacks also committed two errors and left nine base runners on, with six of the nine runners left in scoring position. The Huskies took a 1-0 lead after one inning, and Cloquet added one run in the bottom of the inning to tie the score at 1-1. Adam Hanson walked with two outs. He then stole second base and scored on the Jacks first hit of the game from Thomas Rogers.

St. Anthony scored three more runs to answer right back and take a 4-1 lead after three innings. Cloquet came alive in the fourth inning scoring two with the bases loaded. Rogers, who walked with one out in the inning, and a single by Jake Horn set the table. It was Connor Stowell who delivered with a big two-out single driving in two runs to cut the lead to 4-3. The two runs would be the last they scored, however as the Huskies added four runs in the top of the fifth inning to secure the 8-3 victory.

Cloquet’s season ends with an overall record of 20-9 and it was a season beyond comparison to all the fans in the Northland. Northland Sports Online would like congratulate Coaches Rick Stowell, Jeff Ojanen, Brent Pokornowski, and Steve Johnson. NSO would also like to thank eight seniors for all of their hard work and dedication to Cloquet baseball throughout the years; Peter LaCourse, Connor Stowell, Kyle Becker, Thomas Rogers, August Reynolds, Corbin Morse, Jacob Horn, and Tyler Tollerud.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com