HURLEY -- Park Falls took advantage of Hurley's miscues in the field to win its third straight regional title with a 6-3 win Thursday.
The Midgettes were solid at the plate and on the mound, but they gave up four unearned runs off five uncharacteristic errors.
The Cardinals advanced to the state tournament last year, but fell to Hurley 8-2 earlier this regular season on May 8.
But on Thursday, Park Falls took an early 4-0 lead and took the momentum from Hurley.
"This has been their goal all year," Park Falls manager Ken Dischler said. "We went to state last year. It was more about us getting the job done than a revenge thing. We respect their program."
Hurley manager Jim Kivisto said the Midgettes needed to play mistake-free softball.
"We made a few mistakes, mental mistakes also, that cost us, I think at least four runs and it probably cost us the game," he said.
Kivisto said he is proud of his team, especially the way they rallied in the game.
"The girls didn't put their heads down," he said. "They fought back hard. They fought right to the end."
The Cardinals sure made it difficult.
In the first inning, Park Falls pitcher Kelsey Walasek tripled and scored on Hurley's first error, as the cutoff from center field was misplayed.
She fell down in pain afterwards, but rose and continued to hurt Hurley at the plate and on the mound.
Three runs, two of them unearned, hurt Hurley in the third inning.
Jess Withey had a base hit and Libby Slack reached on an error for Park Falls. Bekka Slack hit a sacrifice fly to score Withey and Mattie Lamb drove Slack in with a bunt that was misplayed by Hurley.
Lamb scored on an RBI double by Walasek to make it 4-0 Park Falls.
Hurley answered in the bottom of the third. Pitcher Hailey Manzanares singled and got to second as the center fielder mishandled it. Jeanna Aijala drove her in with a two-out single.
Hurley scored again in the fourth inning to pull within 4-2. Brittany Czerneski tripled and Caitlin Maki hit a single to bring her in with one out.
Walasek shut down Hurley the rest of the inning.
The Cardinals struck with one earned run and one unearned run in the fifth inning. Slack reached on an infield error and Mattie Lamb bunted safely.
Walasek drove in Slack with her third extra-base hit of the afternoon. Lamb scored on a sacrifice to make it 6-2 Park Falls.
Dischler said it was important the Cardinals kept responding to Hurley's rallies.
"That's kind of demoralizing for the team on the other side," he said.
Hurley senior Kayla Windt scored off a Judy Nevala single in the fifth inning. But the Midgettes stranded two baserunners to leave the inning down 6-3.
Hurley went down 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh innings.
Manzanares took the loss in three innings of work. She gave up one earned run and four hits while striking out two. Brooke Vaara finished the game and gave up one earned run. She struck out two.
Walasek had the complete game win. Hurley had seven hits off her and played well.
"Offensively I was happy," Kivisto said. "We hit the ball hard. We did what we had to offensively."
Dischler said Walasek was clutch. He and Kivisto also credited Park Falls shortstop Maddie Lamb for some fantastic plays in the field.
"(Hurley's) Kayla Windt's also a helluva shortstop," Dischler said. "We're going to send her a graduation card, glad to see her gone."
The Midgettes lose four seniors -- Windt, Manzanares, Czerneski and Giana Saari.
"They were hurting and rightfully so," Kivisto said. "They just played their last game."
Kivisto said Hurley will miss them.
"Not only on the field, but in the school, the school's going to miss them," he said. "They're just four great kids that you never had to worry about off the field or in school.
"I just hope they taught these younger kids some good things, so we can keep this thing going."
Hurley finished the season at 18-4.
"I'm proud of my team," Kivisto said. "We had a great year. When it comes to this time of year, you can't make those mistakes, silly mistakes. We had some and it cost us the game."
Park Falls will play Grantsburg on Thursday at Eau Claire Regis in the sectional semifinal.
Dischler said his team's goal has been to get back to state. He said it's a good goal, but he said it's more about the journey to state.
"To get there, we've got to travel the journey," he said. "They're following the path pretty well."
Kivisto wished Park Falls luck, and said the Cardinals will represent the northern part of Wisconsin well.
