Since I last updated way back on May 19, I've shot a bunch of Baseball games, and some of the Section 7AA baseball and softball playoff games...
Cloquet headed North to Hibbing the 21st/22nd of May for their annual appearance in the Wood Bat Tournament...Winning 2 and losing 1 game.
Section 7AA Softball 'Final Four' on June 1st that set up the Section championship that Hermantown won, defeating Duluth Central in 2 straight games to earn a State berth. Greenway and Duluth Denfeld were eliminated in game play this day at Braun Park in Cloquet.
Cloquet baseball's 'South' subsection Final Four with Virginia, Proctor, and International Falls took place June 8th at Wade Stadium, with the Lumberjacks winning 2 games on the day.
And Finally, on June 10th, the Section 7AA Finals Between Cloquet and Hermantown:
For the first time since 1975, the Cloquet Lumberjacks are headed back to the baseball State Tournament! Needing to beat Hermantown TWICE at Wade Stadium, Tyler Tollerud battled Hermantown hitters to a 2-0 shutout win in the first game, keyed by Peter LaCourse dropping the first pitch he saw in the 7th to right field to score 2 runs. The second game, Hermantown had a 3-0 lead when the Jacks came up in the 5th inning, which became a 4-3 deficit as Cloquet put up 4 runs in the bottom of the 5th. Hermantown tied the game in the top of the seventh and forced extra innings when Cloquet didn't score in the bottom of the 7th, then took a 6-4 lead in the top of the 8th inning. In the bottom of the 8th inning, Kyle Becker pounded a ball to center field, with the basees loaded, to tie the game with August Reynolds and Adam Hanson scoring. Peter LaCourse then again finished off Hermantown on the first pitch he saw, plating the winning run of Corbin Morse from third on a single. Adam Hanson earned his second pitching win in as many days, this time in relief of starter Connor Stowell. Cloquet's first state tournament baseball game in 35 years takes place at Dick Putz field in St. Cloud, June 17th at 10 AM against Mankato East.
