Section 7AA Softball Pairings Set

Wes Vork-NSO

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May 31

Wes Vork-NSO

COHASSET – The Hermantown Hawks are in the drivers seat for another trip to the Minnesota State High School Girls Softball Tournament after winning both games yesterday in the double-elimination Section 7AA tournament in Cohasset. The Hawks will face Cloquet in the title game, but the Jacks would need to win twice in order to make only their second trip in school history to the Big Show.

Hermantown opened with an 8-0 win over Eveleth-Gilbert as Katie Thun hurled a two-hitter and fanned 12 in leading her team to the victory. Sarah Stansfield belted out three hits including a two-run homer as part of a five run first inning and Mackenzie Herzig added three hits and scored twice.

Cloquet also won their first game by defeating Moose Lake-Willow River behind the stellar pitching of Denise Rodd who tossed a four-hitter and did not allow a hit to the Rebels until the fifth inning. Dalyce Gustafson smacked out four hits including a pair of doubles for the Jacks, Kayla Masessa was 3-for-3 with three RBIs, Kelly Carlson was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs and Makenzie Korby added a pair of hits as did Alyssa Michaelson.

In the losers bracket game the Rebels were eliminated by Eveleth-Gilbert by a 14-4 score and in the winners bracket game the Hawks downed the Jacks 9-2 after pounding out 11 hits against Rodd. Macy Francisco and Celine Francisco both ripped three hits and Thun blasted a solo homer as well as a three-run triple which hit the fence, just missing grand slam status. Gustafson had a double for Cloquet and Masessa chipped in with two hits, while Michaelson also doubled for Cloquet.

In the final game of the day the Lumberjacks bounced back from the loss with a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Eveleth-Gilbert. Trailing 5-4 entering the bottom of the seventh the Jacks parlayed a couple of Golden Bear errors into two runs to snatch what appeared to be a sure loss into a win.
Chandler Beaupre pitched a nice game to pick up the seven hit win.

The inning started with a ground out and the Michaelson hit a grounder to short that was bobbled allowing her to reach base. Carlson then reached with a hit putting runners on first and second for Makenzie Korby. Korby hit a high fly to right field that was dropped and Carlson managed to hustle into second before the force out throw which loaded the bases for Mariah Smith. The Jacks #8 hitter singled to score Michaelson and then Lumberjack senior Katie Schulz provided the heroics, hitting a walk-off RBI single to score Carlson for the win.

Cloquet and Hermantown will now play Thursday with the Jacks needing to win twice and the Hawks only once in order to move on to the state tournament.

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Wes Vork can be reached at wes@northlandsportsonline.com