Dakota United adapted high school softball program sweeps state championships

Dakota United swept the PI and CI adapted softball state championships for the second consecutive season Saturday at Chanhassen High School.

The Hawks’ PI team won its fifth straight state title and seventh overall with a 19-4, four-inning victory over Rochester. Coach Brett Kosidowski said the Hawks have a winning streak of 61 games and an approach that breeds enthusiasm.

“We have a new camp we are starting up on our own this year,” he said. “We get kids out. We have huge numbers [of participants], because of those camps and recruiting. It’s been a huge advantage. Winning breeds winning. Success builds a program. Everyone wants to play for a winner.

“It’s so much fun.”

The CI team (9-1) had a little more difficult time defeating top-seeded New Prague. But a pair of home runs and a big double play helped the Hawks win 4-2.

“The games we have had against New Prague have been very tight, very well played,” CI head coach Scott Oxley said. “It’s been a blast to build up a relationship with their kids, our kids, the coaches, the whole works.”

Senior Colin Price and freshman Nolan St. Sauver hit back-to-back home runs to lead off the top of the fourth inning for the Hawks CI team. That extended the lead to 3-0.

The Trojans CI team rallied for two runs in the bottom half of the inning, with Trystan Seger and Logan Bermel hitting back-to-back one-out singles.

The Trojans loaded the bases with one out in the sixth inning, but a fly ball to center field turned into an inning-ending double play that left the Hawks in front 3-2.

“Late in the game, that was key to the win,” Oxley said. “Bases loaded, if he hadn’t made that play they would have scored two or three runs at least. There still would have only been one out and some of their big hitters were coming up. If you would have told me one out, bases loaded that they weren’t going to put any numbers on the scoreboard, I would have said, ‘Nah, I don’t think so.’ Because New Prague is a pretty good hitting team.”

The PI team (10-0) hit the ball all over the field. The Hawks scored the maximum five runs in three of the four innings, ending the game under the 15-run rule. Three players reached base in each of their plate appearances. Cayden Needham was on base four times with three hits and a walk; Chloe Shibata and Jose Collado Baez were on base three times each, on two hits and a fielder’s choice.

“When you [get] people on the bases like that, it scrambles everybody. Uh oh, what are we going to do with [the ball] when it comes?” Kosidowski said of his team’s hit-the-ball-on-the-ground mindset. “You have to think, you have someone running in front of you, missing tags. There were a few plays where we had a foot race, a couple at home, a couple at third, that we won.”

Needham allowed four runs on five hits in four innings pitched for the Hawks PI team.