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Hastings gets first state title

By Brian Stensaas, Star Tribune, 06/10/11, 11:45PM CDT

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Forest Lake drops to 0-3 in Class 3A state championship games


Hastings starting pitcher Treya Connell, center, is mobbed by teammates after Hastings' 4-0 win over Forest Lake in the Class 3A state championship game.

Leaving 10 runners on base in the Class 3A softball state championship game was no doubt a frustrating scene for Hastings coach Dean Robinson to watch Friday afternoon at Caswell Park. But he was able to laugh about it shortly after the Raiders sealed a 4-0 victory over Forest Lake.

“It really didn’t bother me too much,” Robinson said convincingly. “It meant we were getting runners on [base] and I’ve always told these girls to take the positive out of everything.  … I was glad we were staying aggressive.”

It’s the third consecutive year in which Hastings (23-2) has ended the season with a victory in the state tournament. But the past two have come in the 3A third-place game. Friday marked the team’s first state championship.

“To not have to say we’re third place again,” Robinson said, “is a totally different, better feeling.”

The Raiders scored all of their runs in the final three innings. They plated one in both the fifth and sixth innings, then got what Robinson called two “Aflac runs” in the top of the seventh on RBI from Lori Bauer and Stefanie Wical.

“We just had to play 'D’ after that and we’d get the win,” said right fielder Kaitlin Stark, who hit a run-scoring double in the fifth.

The Rangers (18-7) dropped to 0-3 all time in state championship games.


Forest Lake starting pitcher Taylor Burmeister (7) and teammate Kailey Hanson (16) cry after losing the Class 3A state championship game to Hastings. David Joles, Star Tribune

Game Recap

After finishing third in the last three Class 3A state tournaments, Hastings finally ditched the white ribbons and earned a blue one to match its uniform color.

The Raiders defeated Forest Lake 4-0 on Friday afternoon at Caswell Park for their first state championship. Hastings had 10 hits in the game, including two each from Brittani Robinson, Lori Bauer and Treya Connell. Connell also earned the win. She struck out five batters while allowing just three Rangers hits.

It is the third runner-up finish for Forest Lake. The Rangers also finished second in 1995 and 2000.

State Tournament News

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