Annika Olsen slides in for the go-ahead run for White Bear Lake in the sixth inning. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, SportsEngine
After making the state tournament for the first time in 20 years in 2022, the White Bear Lake players and staff had a redemption tour on their minds for 2023. The Bears got a chance at back-to-back state placements Thursday evening against North St. Paul, who they had beaten 1-0 in 12 innings just days before in the section semifinals.
The Class 4A, Section 4 championship game lived up to its billing as well. The two teams gave each other plenty of work to do throughout the contest, as neither one could pull away through four innings with the score at 1-1. The two aces, Chloe Barber and Madelyn Anthony, gave hitters fits all game. However, as the game went on, the Bears’ batters began to find their rhythm and eventually found themselves with a golden opportunity in the bottom of the fifth.
That’s when the White Bear Lake faithful found their voices, as Abby Taylor and Maddy Belisle powered in back-to-back singles. They both scored runners, and those RBIs proved to be key as Barber could then pitch with more confidence knowing her team had some wiggle room.
She closed up shop with four strikeouts in the final two innings, bringing her total at 10 for the game, and that was enough for White Bear Lake to hold off North St. Paul to become Class 4A, Section 4 champions.
White Bear Lake pitcher Chloe Barber pitched a complete game for the Bears, earning her 18th win of the season. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, SportsEngine
It was incredibly tight throughout the Class 4A, Section 4 championship game, as White Bear Lake and North St. Paul both played shutdown defense that held the score at 1-1 going into the bottom of the fifth inning. But then, the Bears struck what was the game-winning blow.
Abby Taylor and Maddy Belisle connected on back-to-back singles, each scoring a runner in quick fashion to give the Bears their first lead of the game at 3-1. Those two RBIs proved to be a major momentum swing, and White Bear Lake ace Chloe Barber only turned up the heat from there.
She cleaned up the remaining two innings, not allowing a single hit while pushing her strikeout tally to 10 in the seventh inning. In fact, Barber allowed only two hits all game, both coming in the first three at-bats for the Polars that led to their one run in the contest.
Barber’s pitching, along with a surge of hitting by the Bears, put enough pressure on their opponent that the Polars couldn’t come back. And White Bear Lake closed out the game winning 3-1 to become Class 4A, Section 4 champions and earn a place in the state tournament.
Leah Burney attempts a bunt in the first inning. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, SportsEngine
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