Park eased past visiting Burnsville 7-4 Friday in a Section 3AAAA elimination quarterfinal at Charlie Whitbread Field.

The Wolfpack led throughout but could never quite pull away from the visiting Blaze.

Bad bounces, fielding miscues, baserunning errors, missed signs, an inconsistent strike zone for pitcher Gracie Bond, any number of things have cropped up to hold back the Wolfpack this season. But Park is so close to being a really good team this season. They’ve already shown they can hang with the best teams in the state.

“It just must be the luck of 2022,” said Park head coach Bob Losek. “Just because they’ve worked so hard. Practice we’ve worked on – they’re three to four hours every day practicing. We’ve got so many ground balls, so many situations – bunts, bunt coverage, hitting – and they just work. And some things work out for us, and some things don’t. It’s just been a different year.

“When you work that hard things don’t come as easy and sometimes they don’t come easy,” Loshek continued. “It’s a tough game. Hitting a round moving object with another round moving object is the toughest thing to do in sports. If you think there’s anything easier, then go play golf.”

Park took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, but Burnsville closed to 3-2 with two runs in the top of the third. Park added three more runs in the fourth and fifth innings to give itself some breathing room.

“We’ve been working hard but we haven’t taken things easy I guess,” said junior outfielder Noelle Krumrie. “We just have to win every inning. Loshek always says win every inning. We have to learn to score first right away and learn to keep adding on after we’ve hit and that will win us games and we just have to stay sharp on defense.”

Park (12-10) advances to the section semifinals where the Wolfpack will face Eagan (13-9) on Tuesday, starting at 5 p.m. at Richfield Middle School. The winner stays alive in the elimination bracket and meets the loser of the Rosemount- East Ridge game, while the loser’s season is over.

In Friday’s game, Park senior pitcher Gracie Bond allowed four runs on four hits, walked four and struck out 10.

Emma Ambroz and Skyler Croker each doubled and singled to lead the Wolfpack hitters. Krumrie and Grace Conaway hit two singles apiece.

Croker, Briana Lee and Peyton Kaplan hit consecutive singles with one out in the second to get Park’s offense started and all three would come into score. Ambroz followed with a successful bunt and Krumrie singled to drive in two runs.

Croker doubled to lead off the fifth inning and Lee singled as Park took a 6-2 lead.

Park has gotten a late season boost with the return of starting first baseman Edie Walton, who played in just her third game against Burnsville after being out most of the season with an injury.

“I’m doing much better, I’m so happy to be back and ready,” said Walton. “It was very hard, definitely more mentally hard probably than physical, but all my teammates were there, every so single day asking me how I was it was super easy. They made it so much easier to get through this.”

Rosemount 8, Park 0

Top-ranked Rosemount (19-2) blanked the visiting Park Wolfpack 8-0 in a Section 3AAAA semifinal game Thursday, May 26, at Rosemount.

The Irish took a 1-0 lead after one inning and 2-0 after two. That’s where the score stayed until Rosemount unleashed a 6-run fifth inning to take command of the game.

“We had second and third with one out yesterday and could have tied it in a two-nothing game,” said Losek. “We could have tied it. One swing of the bat and the game’s tied, or we take the lead. But one swing, a single, and the game’s tied.

“Again, you face Stillwater, East Ridge, White Bear, at Forest Lake we’re right there with the top teams,” Loshek added.

It was the 13th shutout of the season for the Irish.

Rosemount pitcher Jessa Snippes threw all seven innings, allowing just two hits while walking one and striking out eight Park batters.

Bond gave up nine hits, walked four and struck out one.

Infielder Noelle Krumrie makes a stop near second base in the Wolfpack’s victory against Burnsville. Photo by John Molene

Park’s Skylar Croker gives a grin and a thumbs up after hitting a double against Burnsville in a Section 3AAAA elimination game Thursday. Photo by John Molene