Photo by Jean Mathis The Vikings strategize in their final Section 7A play-off game versus the Chisholm Bluestreaks. (L-R) Sammy Warren, Cody Everson, Casey Everson, Darryl Hansen. The Bluestreaks defeated the Vikings to advance to the state tournament, but the Vikings had a great season, advancing further in play-offs than any other team in Cook County history.
The Cook County baseball team had its season come to an end in the Section 7A Championship game in Hibbing, Minnesota. The Chisholm Bluestreaks topped the Vikings 9-5 to advance to the state tournament. Earlier in the week the Vikings had beaten Northland 10-0 and then Deer River 14-5 before falling to the Bluestreaks in the Section 7A Championship game.
On Tuesday June 2, the Vikings faced the 13-6 Northland (Remer) Eagles. Senior Wade Hoffer took the mound for Cook County. After issuing two walks in the first inning, Hoffer struck out the clean-up hitter and then got a groundout to escape the first inning unscathed.
Hoffer shut down the Eagles again in the second inning while the Vikings did some damage in the bottom half of the inning with their patience at the plate. The first three Viking hitters all walked to load the bases. Following a Viking strikeout, Hoffer was walked which allowed Casey Everson to score from third base. Senior second baseman Taylor Baham then followed with a single to score Drew Holmen. After a Viking infield fly-out, Miles Drake hit a two-out double that was good for three RBIs. Sammy Warren then hit a single, scoring Drake and giving the Vikings an early 6-0 lead.
In the third inning, the Vikings struck again in the bottom of the fourth when Baham and Drake both scored to increase Cook County’s lead to 8-0.
Hoffer continued to mow down the Eagles’ line-up in the fifth and sixth innings. In the bottom of the sixth, the Vikings ended the game when James Groth and Baham both scored, giving Cook County a 10-0 victory. Drake went two for four in the game with four RBIs. Warren added three hits and three RBIs for Cook County.
In the 7:30 p.m. game that day, the Vikings played Deer River, which had lost its first playoff game to Chisholm earlier in the day, 1-10. Deer River had handed the Vikings their first playoff loss just days before. Both teams needed to win to stay in contention for the Section 7A championship.
Deer River got on the board early against the Vikings when senior ace Sammy Warren struggled a bit with his control, issuing two walks and throwing a wild pitch. TheWarriors could only manage to score once, however, as the Vikings found themselves down 0-1 after one inning of play.
Warren continued to struggle in the second inning, as he gave up three runs on three walks and just one hit. Cook County was in a hole early, 0-4.
Cook County came right back as Darryl Hansen singled to lead off the bottom half of the inning. Holmen drew a walk and Groth got an RBI single, which scored Hansen. Cody Everson delivered a hard hit single that scored two Viking runs. After Everson was thrown out, Baham scored the Vikings’ fourth run of the inning when Rude singled. The game was now tied, 4-4.
The Warriors scored again in the third to take a 4-5 lead as Warren issued four walks, but got out of the jam with only one Warrior scoring. The Vikings immediately answered, scoring three runs in the third to take back the lead, 7-5.
Miles Drake then pitched four shutout innings in relief. The Vikings responded at the plate, getting seven hits, drawing five walks, and scoring seven runs in the final four innings to win 14-5.
Warren and Holmen each went three for four in the game and combined for five runs scored and five RBIs in the game. Groth also had three RBIs in the game and Baham scored three runs for Cook County.
The win advanced the Vikings to the Section 7A championship game against Chisholm. TheBluestreaks had yet to lose in the playoffs, so the Vikings would have to beat them twice to advance to the state tournament.
With runners on first and second with one out in the first inning, Warren got the Vikings on the scoreboard with an RBI single that scored Jacob Rude. Two straight fly outs would strand two runners on base as the Vikings took a 1-0 lead.
Chisholm scored three quick runs off of senior ace Sammy Warren in the bottom half of the first inning. Warren struggled a bit with control and the Bluestreaks took advantage of two walks and a wild pitch. TheVikings now trailed 1-3.
Casey Everson led off the second inning when he reached first on an error. Groth singled and Cody Everson drew a walk to juice the bases with no outs. A sacrifice fly by Baham scored Everson. Rude got an RBI single that scored Groth to tie the game at 3-3.
Warren got a 1-2-3 inning on just five pitches and the Vikings were back on the attack at the plate. After two quick outs, Casey Everson singled, and scored on James Groth’s triple. Cody Everson then hit a single to score Groth and the Vikings now had a 5-3 advantage.
Chisholm was unable to score in the bottom of the third as the Vikings maintained their 5-3 lead after three innings of play. Following a scoreless fourth inning, Drake came on in relief of Warren after a wild pitch allowed a Chisholm base runner to score. There was now still a runner on second with no outs. After two quick outs, two singles scored two more Bluestreak runs and the Vikings were now down, 5-6 after five innings of play.
Cook County could not muster another run in the final two innings while Chisholm added three insurance runs to win 5-9. The loss ended the Vikings’ season with a 19-5 overall record. The Vikings played a solid game, but the 17-3 Bluestreaks were too much.
The Vikings had a great season and advanced further in the playoffs than any other team in Cook County history. The players and coaches are to be commended on an outstanding season.
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