By John Molene

On Wednesday, Park of Cottage Grove and host Hastings mixed it up in a tight thriller, eventually won 3-2 by the visitors in the final game of the regular season.

Monday evening, Park dominated in a completely different game, winning easily 12-0 in the Section 3AAAA quarterfinals.

The Hastings Raiders never got anything going against Park ace Tucker Novotny. Novotny, bound for the University of Minnesota next season, threw a two-hit shutout as the host Wolfpack won in five innings. Novotny struck out nine while walking only one.

Park batters rocked a trip of Hastings pitchers for 13 hits in the win. The Wolfpack scored twice in the first inning, and then broke the game open with five runs in the second inning. Park scored four more times in the fourth inning to close out the game.

Hastings went with Simon Hedin to start the game, but he had a rough outing, giving up three hits and three earned runs in an inning and a third. Conner Stoffel relieved him with one out in the second and didn’t fare any better against the Park batters.

Third-seeded Park (15-6) advances to the Section 3AAAA semifinals and a date against second-seeded Eagan (15-6) at Eagan on Wednesday, June 2, starting at 4:30 p.m… Eagan defeated Burnsville 8-1 Monday to advance.

Sixth-seeded Hastings (11-10) dropped into the section consolation bracket and will play seventh-seeded Burnsville (7-14) Wednesday, June 2nd, starting at 4:30 p.m. The winner of that game will play again on June 4th at the highest remaining seed, hoping to continue on to June 7 on Alimagnet Park in Burnsville.

Hastings players watch from the dugout as the section game against Park Monday slips away.

Photo by John Molene

Hastings catcher Jake Sandquist tags out Park baserunner Clayton Beaurline at home plate in the third inning Monday. Photo by John Molene