EAGLES WIN STATE TITLE

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

ST. PAUL -- In New Ulm High School's 18 previous appearances in the Minnesota State Baseball Tournament, the Eagles have finished second twice, third three times and taken consolation crown five times.

Friday night, the Eagles got their first state baseball title.

Jamie Hoffmann went 4-for-4 and drove in two runs while righthander Chris Cariveau, seeing his second mound appearance in as many days, scattered 10 hits as New Ulm pounded North St. Paul 12-4 at Midway Stadium to claim the Minnesota State 3A title.

Cariveau, who pitched six innings of relief in the Eagles 8-6 semi-final win over Northfield Thursday night, went the distance against the Polars striking out two.

Dan Pluff, who will play baseball for the United States Military Academy next year, took the loss for North St.Paul which finishes their season at 22-5.

Jamie Hoffmann led the 15-hit Eagle attack going 4-for-4 with three singles and a double. For the state tournament, Hoffmann was 9-for-10 with eight RBI and scored five runs.

Dusty Fleck added two doubles and three RBI.

Cariveau, Hoffmann, Fleck and centerfielder Eric Austvold were all named to the All-Tournament Team.

"This is kind of a fulfillment of a dream," said an emotional Eagle coach Jim Senske who completes his 39th season and sees his team end with a 27-3 record. "We have been here often and we have been disappointed a lot of times. But I guess that the wait was worth it. I feel real good right now.

"We have overcome major obstacles this year. This team has just kept battling -- it has been thrilling the way that they have rallied and come through for each other. We think that we have had much better pitching coming into the state tournament -- but this team caught fire with the bat maybe a week ago and they have not stopped hitting -- they have been swinging it pretty well."

"This is the biggest thing in the world," Hoffmann said. "We came in and played so well -- we wanted it the whole time. It was so fun to do this for coach Senske. This team was destined to win after the Hutchinson game -- we said that we got the start of a miracle that day and all that we had to do was finish the miracle."

In the Eagles' two previous state tournament games, they have banged out 17 and 12 hits -- that would not change against North St. Paul .

Keith McClellan's one-out single in the bottom of the first inning sparked a six-run inning. Hoffmann followed with a base hit to center and all runners were safe on a fielder's choice to load the bases with no outs.

Dusty Fleck followed by belting a 2-0 Pluff offering to rightfield for a three-run double.'Jace Marti reached when Polar thirdbaseman Clint Bradley could not handle his groundball, putting Eagles at first and third with one out.

After Pluff fanned Dan Kitzberger, Blake Thorson delivered a two-run double to centerfield for a quick 6-0 lead.

"I don't know what has brought our hitting alive as it has been," Senske said."Maybe it was a miracle finish against Hutchinson got us going. We were so close to being eliminated and I think that the Lord intervened and saved us -- after that, things were pretty lose."

The Polars would plate two runs in the top of the third but the Eagles would respond with another six-run inning in the bottom half of the inning

Fleck's second double of the game, a walk and a fielder's choice and a hit batter loaded the bases for the Eagles. A groundout and an Eric Austvold line single to center made it 8-2 and forced the Polars to change pitchers. Reliever Kyle O'Shea was greeted by an RBI single by McClellan and a two-run double by Hoffmann for an 11-2 lead.

Hoffmann then trotted home on Brandon Rolloff's RBI single for a 12-2 lead.

"I was frustrated at state last year,' Hoffmann said. "This year I wanted to never get out -- I got out once (a hard line drive to the against Northfield)."

And Cariveau, as he had against Northfield, did the rest.

"He (Cariveau) came out and did the job again," Senske said. "We had to have some one come out and do that and he did. He makes the all-state team which is wonderful. He scattered 10 hits and did another great job."

"I told Coach Senske that I wanted the ball again," said Cariveau who won two games in the state tournament. "My arm felt good after yesterday and I thought that I could get it done. We were relaxed before the game today. This is a great feeling."

Cariveau would allow two cosmetic runs by the Polars in the fifth before shutting them down and striking out the last batter of the game to give the Eagles their first state baseball title.

"God gave us a gift (in the Hutchinson game) and we took it all the way.,"said Eric Austvold who was named to the All-State team for the second straight year. "This win is so big -- it is great for coach Senske. He deserves it."

NORTH ST. PAUL 002 020 0-- 4 10 1

NEW ULM 606 000 X--12 15 1

WP" Chris Cariveau. LP: Dan Pluff. 2B: Fleck 2 (NU), Thorson (NU), Hoffmann (NU). 3B: Horner (NSP).