Article: "Aquinas Ready to Take Final Step Toward State Title" was featured on WRDW News on the 23rd!

Link to the Article which also features a video of the broadcast!  Click Here

Here is the article as it appeared on the WRDW News and website, written by staff writer Jake Young:

Unfinished business is a common talking point in the Aquinas dugout this spring. Last year, they were swept in the state championship series on their home field, and the Fighting Irish are determined not to let it happen again.

Senior Pitcher Erin Hawk says, "Last year, we were at it and had it, and it just slipped through our fingers like quicksand. To me, the goal of this season is to win the state championship. If we don't, we're not completing our goal."

The question is, "How will the Irish take that final step and get the title that eluded them a year ago?"

"The bottom line is, we're going to have to play absolutely perfect all the way through the playoffs and try to get in position to win the series," says Head Coach Mike Laney. "When we get to it, it's just going to baseball. It's not going to take anything special. It's just going to take great baseball to win."

One way Laney prepares his team for the postseason is by playing bigger schools in the regular season. Aquinas, a Class A squad, has ten games on the schedule against Class AAA and Class AAAA teams, and the players think it definitely helps.

"Playing great teams like Thomson definitely gets us ready for the playoffs," senior First Baseman Sam Few says. "They made the semifinals in AAA. We know that if we can play with them and compete with them, we can compete with anybody in Class A."

The Irish definitely won't be flying under anyone's radar. They're 12-2 and ranked second in the state right now, though they'd be okay with sneaking up on some people.

Hawk says, "I wish we weren't ranked at all actually. Being ranked No. 2 is great. I couldn't ask for much better, except being No. 1, but going into the playoffs, I'd rather not be ranked at all."

With Wesleyan ranked No. 1, it could be the same championship series as last year, though the Irish don't expect the same outcome this time around.

Source:  WRDW Website