Ponies headed to State for first time since 2003

Stillwater is headed to the State Class AAA Softball Tournament for the first time since 2003 after the Ponies defeated Hill-Murray in the second game of the Section 4AAA championship series on June 28 at the McKnight Fields Complex in North St. Paul. The Ponies entered the section bracket as the No. 4 seed after going 12-6 in the regular season, but took little time before shocking the field by stunning the defending state champion, tournament host and No. 9-ranked team in Class AAA, North St. Paul, 7-3, in a second-round matchup on May 22. Stillwater held its spot in the catbird's seat with a 3-1 win over the Pioneers in the winner's bracket final on May 27, before the two team's met again for all the marbles after Hill-Murray defeated Woodbury in the loser's bracket final of the double-elimination tournament. The Pioneers would need to defeat the Ponies twice to earn a berth to State and would move the section final to a one-game playoff with a 1-0 win by scoring in the seventh inning of the Wednesday afternoon opener. Hill-Murray held a lead of the same margin through three innings of Game Two, however, the Ponies would charge back to score three times in the fourth inning — highlighted by a two-run double from Megan Wollak — to take a lead they would not relinquish. Emma Cotner, would earn the win in game two after relieving fellow pitcher and Game One starter Rachel Fosse in the second inning of the concluding sectional standoff. The 16-6 Ponies will now make their way to Caswell Park in North Mankato, the site of the State Tournament, where they will face the yet-to-be determined Section 5 champion. Osseo and Mounds View face each other in the Section 5 final May 29.