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ST. PAUL, Minn. — First, Fosston won a first-round Minnesota Class A state baseball tournament game for the first time.

Then, the Greyhounds won a state semifinal for the first time.

And now, Fosston is state champion for the first time.

The No. 5 seed Greyhounds beat Lyle/Pacelli 3-2 in the state championship Friday at CHS field.

"I'm at a loss for words but it's such a special group of kids," Fosston coach Ryan Hanlon said. "We're just so excited and proud of these guys. It's a special group who have meant so much to our program for so long. You set a goal at the beginning of the year and you want to play in a section championship. They did that. You go down to state, hope to compete and never in your wildest dreams do you think a state championship is in your reach.

"We came out red hot in the first game and you start to think you might be able to compete with some teams down there. With Lyle, we knew it was going to be a tough game but we've been playing well and you never know. When you have a veteran club, you never count them out. I'm so happy and proud for the seniors. For me personally, they've been a special part of my life. I couldn't be more proud of this group."

Daniel Jacobi II / Post Bulletin

Fosston players celebrated in a dog pile near the pitcher's mound.

"It's crazy," Fosston's Hudson Boushee said. "It's something you dream about as kids. It's relief and excitement all at the same time."

No. 3 seed Lyle/Pacelli (24-2) trailed 3-1 going to the top of the seventh. The Athletics loaded the bases with no outs, but could manage just one run when Hunter VaDeer walked with the bases loaded and one out.

After walking in a run, Fosston pitcher Carsen Boushee, who started the inning in relief of his brother Hudson, got a strikeout and ground out to end the threat and game.

"It's unreal," Fosston's Aaron Norland said. "It's a moment I'll never forget. It was so fun to do that with my teammates. That's the only way all of us wanted to go out. We all didn't think it would happen but that's how we wanted it."

Hudson allowed four hits, one earned run and struck out six. Carson gave up two hits and one run but struck out two.

The Boushee brothers also teamed up earlier this postseason when the Greyhounds had to beat East Grand Forks Sacred Heart twice in the Section 8A championship game to advance to state.

"They're just competitors, both of them," Hanlon said. "We lean on those guys because they're so baseball smart. They've been around the game so long and we knew they'd give us a chance to win and that's all you can ask of your players."

VaDeer had two of L/P's six hits. The Athletics scored their first run in the sixth as Isaac Nelsen, the winning pitcher in the state semifinals, hit a sacrifice fly to cut Fosston's lead to 2-1.

The Greyhounds (24-4) got what proved to be a big insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on Norland's two-out RBI double.

All of Fosston's five hits, all three runs and two RBIs came from Nos. 5-9 in the batting order. Brecken Levin was 2-for-3 with two runs, while Norland was 2-for-2. No. 9 hitter Aiden Wolfe was 1-for-2.

"We had said all along we felt we had one of the deepest teams," Hanlon said. "It's been like that all year. If someone isn't hitting, someone steps up and fills that void. These guys play so well together and have such a good attitude. Today, it was the bottom of the order's day."

Fosston had never finished better than fifth at the state tournament.

"It really proves small-town baseball can do some damage," Hudson Boushee said. "I'm so happy for the seniors that this is the way they go out. You can't write a better script for those guys."

Daniel Jacobi II / Post Bulletin