The hard work paid off. The Riverland Community College baseball and softball players proved over the weekend that they are among the best in Minnesota.

The softball team placed fourth in the state tournament, while the baseball team won its first championship in nearly four decades.

Next up for both squads are the respective regional tournaments, with the winners advancing to the national ones.

These players have worked hard throughout the season, persevered through ups and downs and balanced their school work along the way.

Both performances were team efforts, and we congratulate the players and the coaches on their successes this past weekend.

We’re proud of their accomplishments, and we will be cheering them on when regionals kick off Friday.