Parent, Rebels walk-off Bears

HIGH SCHOOL CLASS 4A STATE SOFTBALL SEMIFINALS >> CHAMPLIN PARK 3, WHITE BEAR LAKE 2

Two-out single in 7th sent Champlin Park to Class 4A title game in first state appearance

White Bear Lake pitcher Lilly Martin throws a pitch during the Bears’ 3-2 loss to Champlin Park in the Class 4A state semifinals in North Mankato on Wednesday. JACE FREDERICK — PIONEER PRESS

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By Jace Frederick

jfrederick@pioneerpress.com

NORTH MANKATO >> Champlin Park senior outfielder Ava Parent saw her spot in the order heading into the bottom of the seventh inning and immediately began hoping for a chance.

It came with the bases loaded, two outs and the chance to be a hero.

Champlin Park (23-2) and White Bear Lake were tied 2-2 in the Class 4A semifinal at Caswell Park when Parent stepped up to the dish. She battled Bears ace Lilly Martin — terrific all game — tooth and nail, fouling off one pitch after another.

“I kept fouling pitches off and it was a high-intensity situation,” Parent said. “I just had to stay disciplined, and that’s exactly what I did.”

Finally, the Wisconsin commit found a pitch she could drive, striking a single to the outfield to send Champlin Park to the title game in the program’s first state tournament appearance. The second-seeded Rebels will meet fellow title game debutant Bloomington Jefferson at 9 a.m. Friday at the U.

“It means so much,” Parent said. “Champlin park softball has never been to the state tournament, let alone the state championship. So, it’s super incredible and we’re all excited to get going.”

White Bear Lake (19-7) didn’t make it easy. Thursday morning’s quarterfinal upset of third-seeded Farmington marked the sixth-seeded Bears’ 12th straight victory, a run that also included a sectional upset of Stillwater.

The Bears were playing their best softball at the right time.

And they came out of the gates fast in the semis with runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 advantage. The second run was scored by Maddy Belisle, who reached via one of her three hits in the game and essentially manufactured the score on the base paths from there.

But the offense dried up from there. White Bear Lake tallied single hits in numerous innings against Champlin Park ace Marissa Rothenberger, but couldn’t string anything else together.

“We started hot and kept swinging the bat,” White Bear Lake coach Jill Leverty said. “We couldn’t get the last couple to fall, but other than that, I thought we did pretty good.”

It looked like that might be enough offense to hold, too. Particularly given how Martin was rolling. The Rebels had just one hit through the first four innings.

“We were all stressing out a bit,” Parent admitted.

But it was the No. 9 hitter, Layla Nguyen, who broke the seal for the Rebels in the fifth with a two-out, two-run single that knotted the contest.

“They might not have played their best, but each of them picked each other up when they needed it,” Champlin Park coach Bryan Woodley said.

Rothenberger — who threw a complete game, allowing just one earned run — opened the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff double. A walk and a single eventually set the table for Parent, who, to the surprise of no one, delivered.

“She’s always clutch,” Woodley said. “I think she’s the best centerfielder in the state. She’s just a great all-around player.”