Hawks Finish As State Runners-Up

Carley Cadwell – For NSO

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June 10

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

MANKATO- For the second time in the last two years it was the Pirates of Park Center knocking off the Hermantown Hawks in the girl’s state Class AA championship game as Park Center shut out the Hawks 6-0 to capture their second consecutive state title.

Nicole Tade threw a one hitter as Hermantown could not get on track offensively Friday with the Pirates scoring early to put the game out of reach for the Hawks. Kati Fern got the Pirates on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning by hitting a solo lead-off home run to put Park Center in front to stay which would be all the runs Park Center needed.

The Pirates added two more runs in the second inning, one in the third and two more in the fourth to build a six run lead after four innings. The Pirates belted out twelve hits in the championship game. Katie Thun, the sophomore pitcher for Hermantown had only allowed two runs in the first two games of the state tournament.

“They are a good team” Head Coach Tom Bang told Northland Sports Online. “They hit the ball very well today and we just didn’t manage to get things going.” Bang added “We were a young team and a lot of people didn’t expect us to be here, but the girls definitely showed what a lot of hard work can do.” While the Hawks were understandably somewhat disappointed after the loss, when time allows a look back on the season it will be seen as very successful by any measurement. While tradition was on the Hawks side, a second place finish in the conference and section was nowhere near a sure thing, let alone a second place finish in the entire state

The Hawks only hit of the game came in the top of the fourth inning, when Sarah Stansfield singled to left field, and it was also the Hawks best scoring chance as the Hawks had two runners on base, but the Pirates closed the door in the inning and ended any hopes of a comeback.

Kati Fern finished with four hits for the Pirates as she went 9-11 in the tournament for Park Center. Fern also drove in seven runs for the State Champion Pirates. Hermantown, playing in their third consecutive state class AA championship game will bring home a second place trophy for the schools trophy case.

The second place finish was the fourth time in school history Hermantown finished as runners-up in the state softball tournament. Hermantown has also won the state girls championship three times with the last coming in 2009. Coach Bang said “we are young and a lot of teams will be gunning for us but I like our chances for the future.”

Unlike the 2010 second place team which featured three first team all-state players, the Hawks 2011 team will return nearly intact for another run. Hermantown will return all but one starter and two seniors including sophomore pitcher Katie Thun.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com