Coon Rapids, Mandan notch victories

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John M. Steiner / The Sun Jamestown’s Brandon Gange looks in at a ball that flew to the backstop during Post 14’s contest with Regina on Friday at Jack Brown Stadium.

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One inning can make all the difference in baseball, especially when three errors are involved.

Coon Rapids Post 334 took advantage of three Mandan fielding errors to put together a five-run third inning en route to a 6-3 victory in the second game of the Jamestown American Legion baseball tournament at Jack Brown Stadium.

Coon Rapids, trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, got a leadoff double from Josh Jensen in the third to jumpstart the inning, and Mandan’s first error resulted in Jensen crossing the plate for Post 334’s first run. Coon Rapids’ Bo Daniels laid down a bunt to move Jensen to third but the throw to first sailed high and Jensen was able to score.

“I told the guys that we had to figure out how to do it (win),” said Coon Rapids coach Tom Yelle. “Bunting has done it this year when we’ve really needed a boost.”

Kyle Waterman kept the rally going with a single to left off Chiefs’ starter Jordy Wenstrom and Mandan’s second error of the game, a fielding error getting the ball in, allowed both runners to advance.

Tony Remund hit a deep shot to center that got lost in the sun for Mandan’s third error of the inning. The blunder allowed Daniels and Waterman to score on the play and give Coon Rapids a 3-1 lead.

“We started our playoffs on Wednesday, so we are coming off two excrutiating nine-inning games to keep our season going,” said Yelle. “So, considering the circumstances and knowing how good Mandan is we knew we had to play well.”

Back-to-back walks set up Jeremy Oakley to drive in Post 334’s fourth run with a groundout the third.

Mandan was able to turn a double play on Oakley’s chopper to third but Ian Andrews was still able to build the lead to 5-1 with a single to left.

“The way (Wenstrom) was throwing and looking at the way (Mandan) was swinging the bat we knew we couldn’t let them get out too far on us,” Yelle said. “We kept an aggressive approach.”

The Chiefs fought back with a run in the fourth but Coon Rapids built the deficit back up to four with a run of its own in the fifth.

Aaron Janz cut the lead to three with a solo home run to leadoff the fifth for the Chiefs but that would be the last run Mandan would produce the rest of the way.

Doug Pouliot earned the win for Coon Rapids after pitching five-plus innings giving up three runs, two earned, on seven hits and three walks. Ben Roseth pitched the final two innings to earn the save.

“We weren’t that sharp but our pitching was pretty good and we made some defensive plays when we needed them,” said Yelle. “But our hitting was way off.”

Andrews led the Post 334 (16-12) offense with two hits and an RBI. Waterman went 3 for 4 with a run scored and Daniels went 1 for 4 with a run and a stolen base.

Janz finished the day 2 for 3 with a home run for the Chiefs (30-15) while Brandon Austad went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

Wenstrom wore the loss after pitching all six innings allowing six runs, three earned, on nine hits and three walks.

Coon Rapids is back in action today at 11:30 a.m. with a wood bat contest against Saskatoon.

Mandan 10, Devils Lake 0

Mandan’s Sam Salveson stole the show in the opener.

The hard-throwing righty pitched all five innings with 10 strikeouts as the Chiefs defeated Devils Lake 10-0 in five innings to start Friday’s action at Jack Brown Stadium.

“Salveson threw a really good game for us,” said Mandan coach Ryne Jungling. “He throws strikes and when you throw strikes your defense is going to be able to make plays and that was the key to success today.”

Salveson helped his own cause by driving in a run in the opening inning to put the Chiefs up 2-0 but it was a two-run double in the second inning that put the Chiefs in the driver’s seat the remainder of the way.

“We just came out and hit the baseball,” Jungling said. “The last couple of days we’ve been struggling to hit the baseball, but when you hit the ball it makes everything easier for you.”

Reid Jungling went 2 for 4 with two doubles and a couple RBIs while Steve Serr went 1 for 3 with a double and two RBIs of his own. Salveson went 3 for 3 as well.

Josh Janzen went the distance and suffered the loss for Devils Lake after allowing 10 runs on 11 hits with seven strikeouts. The defense behind him didn’t help matters any as they committed five errors in the game.

The Devils Lake/Saskatoon contest wasn’t finished by the time this edition went to press.

The Chiefs will continue play today at 9 a.m. against Regina and follow up with Saskatoon at 5:30 p.m. to round out their tournament.

Mandan 10, Devils Lake 0 (5 innings)

Devils Lake 000 00 — 0 3 5

Mandan 231 22 — 10 11 0

Josh Janzen and Jason Swenseth. Sam Salveson and Steve Serr. W—Salveson. L—Janzen. 2B: DL—Janzen; MAN—Reid Jungling 2, Salveson, Steve Serr.

Records: Devils Lake, XX-XX; Mandan, 30-14.

Coon Rapids 6, Mandan 3

Mandan 001 101 0 — 3 8 3

Coon Rapids 005 010 X — 6 9 2

Jordy Wenstrom and Steve Serr. Doug Pouliot, Ben Roseth (6) and Mike Latta. W—Pouliot. L—Wenstrom. S-Roseth. 2B: MAN—Brandon Austad; CR—Tony Remund. HR: MAN—Aaron Janz.

Records: Mandan, 30-15; Coon Rapids, 16-12.

Sun sports writer David Griswold can be reached at (701) 952-8462 or by email at dgriswold@jamestownsun.com

Tags: legion baseball, sports