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singled to right center for an RBI which scored Johnson and closed Farmington’s lead to 12-10. Runion advanced to third on the play. But Beaurline lined out to right field to end it after some three hours of play.

The game started 30 minutes late when the Class 3A game ran long, then was delayed for about a half hour after home plate umpire Justin Overcash slipped and injured himself after running down to third base line to call a play.

Park ended its season with a 22-8 record and a second- place finish at the state finals, the Wolfpack’s best finish ever in the MSHSL baseball tournament.

The Farmington Tigers closed at 21-6 with the team’s first state baseball championship.

The two teams combined for 22 runs and 27 hits, 16 hits for Farmington and 15 for Park. Farmington came in with 1-0 and 3-2 wins in the section quarterfinals and semifinals, but unloaded their bats against the Wolfpack.

“Every time they hit the ball so hard it was frustrating,” said McGowan. “There was no frustration on our team’s part. They’re (the Tigers) not in the state championship because they’re not good hitters. There’s a reason for that. They hit the ball really well. They threw the ball really well. We hit the ball, too.”

Senior centerfielder Johnson was 2-for-4 with four RBIs to lead the Park hitters. Flattum was 2-for-3 with an RBI, Novotny was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Smoot 2-for-5 with a run scored.

With staff ace Novotny sidelined because of pitch count rules, Park used three pitchers – starter Conor Mestemacher, Samuel Janski and Clayton Beaurline — to try and contain the Farmington hitters, but none were able to hold the Tigers in check.

Farmington and Park had several common opponents coming into the finals. Farmington split series with Eagan, Rosemount and Lakeville North. Park was 2-1 vs. Eagan, topped Lakeville North 12-4 and edged Rosemount 9-8.

Back on June 2, Park was wiped out by fourth-ranked Eagan, losing 15-0. The Wolfpack then regrouped to reel off seven straight victories t advance to the state finals.

It was just the fourth appearance in the state baseball tournament for the Wolfpack, the three previous being 1987, 1991 and 1993. Park finished tied for third in 1993 as rain prevented a Class AA third-place playoff game that season.

“These memories are going to last a lifetime,” said Flattum. “This is the best team I’ve ever played on. Even though we came up just short, this, by far, is the best team Park’s ever had, the best team I’ve ever been on, probably the best team anyone on here has ever been on.’ Park 5, Andover 4 In a back-and-forth affair, Park senior centerfielder Ben Johnson’s run-scoring single in the top of the sixth inning put the Wolfpack over the top and into their first state baseball finals.

The Wolfpack scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to overcome a 4-2 Andover lead and claim a 5-4 victory Wednesday.

“It’s awesome to think that we grew up dreaming of this and now we’re there,” said Park senior catcher Jackson Weidner. “It’s in action now, its one more game.

“I told right from the start I thought we had a shot at it,” Johnson added. “And here we sitting here, going to the state tournament championship.”

Andover shocked the Wolfpack early, scoring twice in the first inning. But senior first baseman Tucker Novotny got that right back with a two-run home run in the top of the second to tie the game at 2-all.

“It’s just like I’m on top of the world right now,” Novotny said after the game. “It’s just what we’ve worked for our whole lives. And we’re finally here.”

Andover regained the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. That merely set the stage for a dramatic three-run sixth inning for the Wolfpack.

Micah Runion singled to center field to open the sixth for the Wolfpack. Tessman singled through the left side and Runion advanced to second. Johnson came in to pinch ran for Tessman. After a change in pitchers, Jackson Weidner walked, which sent Johnson to second and Runion to third. Novotny reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on an error by the Andover second baseman. Weidner was out at second as Johnson and Runion both scored. T. Novotny went to third on a passed ball. Johnson then singled to left field to score Novotny with what turned out to be the winning run.

Neither team could muster any scoring in the seventh, but Park had some anxious moments.

After a strike out to open the inning, Andover’s Kyle Law reached on an error and advanced all the way to third with just one out. But Park relief pitcher Clayton Beaurline got the next batter to foul out to centerfield and Andover’s Logan Gravink flied out to left center to end the threat.

Usually it’s Novotny’s arm which does the talking. In Park’s 5-4 win over Andover in the semifinals at Chaska Athletic Park Novotny let his bat do the work.

Novotny was 1-for-3 and drove in three runs, — also scoring twice – that proved decisive in a tough win over the Andover Huskies. Novotny drove in pitch runner Blake Johnson in the second after pitcher Jackson Tessman reach on an error by the Andover shortstop.

Park spread the rest of the hits around. Tessman was 1-for-2 with two walks and scored twice. Josh Hatano, Micah Runion, Ben Johnson, Clayton Beaurline and William Smoot each had one hit.

Junior pitcher Tessman got the win on the mound for Park, going five innings before being relieved in the sixth. He allowed six hits, four runs, all earned. He struck out five and walked four. Beaurline got the save, allowing just one hit and no runs in two innings. He struck out one and walked none.

“The chemistry we have as a team is unmatched, throughout the years we’ve played together and these are my brothers now” said Park Ben Johnson. “I think we can really put it together when we want to.

“I think it’s just us being resilient as a team,” Johnson continued. “We handle adversity as the coach tells us, mental toughness, and that’s kind of what baseball is, it’s a game of inches and it’s a game of being mentally tough, it’s a game of failure and I think that when we overcame that, great things happen.”

Park 4, Rogers 0 Senior Tucker Novotny pitched a four-hit shutout and Park (19-7) advanced to the semifinals with a 4-0 win over Rogers (18-8) in the Class AAAA baseball quarterfinals Tuesday.

Novotny pitched 6 2/ innings, allowing four hits, no runs. He struck out 13 and walked only two. Senior Clayton Beaurline came in relief in the seventh to pitch the final out and the save.

Park scored one run in the third, then added three more runs in the fourth on only one hit to take control of the game.

Park’s Micah Runion was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Jackson Tessman grounded out on a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher and Runion advanced to second. Jackson Weidner then doubled to right field, scoring Runion. Novotny grounded out to third. Ben Johnson was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a passed ball. Weidner advanced to third on a passed ball. Josh Hatano reached on an error by the Rogers shortstop, while both Johnson and Weidner scored.

Novotny was mostly dominant the entire game. He set the side down with three strikeouts in the first inning and never looked back.

Rogers really had just two opportunities to score and were turned away both times by Novotny and the Park defense. In the second, Rogers opened with a two singles around a strike out. Two passed balls put the Royals in scoring position but Park ended the threat on an out at home from Jackson Weidner to Josh Hatano and then back to Weidner.

In the seventh, a Rogers batter double to right to open the inning and advanced to third on a fly to right. McGowan replaced Novotny with Beaurline and he got the final batter to ground out to second.

Park’s victory was the only win of day one for the three Suburban East Conference teams. Top-seed Stillwater lost 6-5 to Minnetonka and fourth-seeded Mounds View lost 1-0 decision to Farmington.

Centerfielder Ben Johnson went 1-for-2 and scored two runs and shortstop Josh Hatano went 2-for-3 to lead the Park hitters. Designated hitter Micah Runion was 1-for-2 and had the only RBI for the Wolfpack. Jackson Weidner was 1-for- 3 and scored a run.

Park finished with four runs, six hits, one RBI, one walk, six strikeouts and had eight left on base.

Rogers had four hits, two walks, 13 strikeouts and eight left on base.

Park’s Clayton Beaurline dives into third base ahead of the throw in the third inning of the state championship baseball game Friday.Photo by John Molene