LaMoure to face familiar challenge

GRAFTON — LaMoure is defending North Dakota Class B American Legion baseball state champion and has won two of the last three state titles. In 2007, it had to come through the loser-out bracket to win; it faces the same challenge after a second-round loss to Grafton.

Grafton handed LaMoure a 6-2 setback here Thursday in the winners’ bracket second round Thursday at the state tournament.

“I think we’re capable of coming back,” LaMoure coach J.R. Thielges said. “A lot of these guys were on that (2007) team. They know it can be done. We just have to get our pitching arms ready.”

Grafton looked at facing standout pitcher Gaige Dunn -the North Dakota Class B high school senior baseball player of the year this spring -as a challenge.

“We were looking forward to playing against (Dunn),” winning pitcher Sam Tweten said. “You definitely get more pumped for the game. I thought we were pretty evenly matched.”

The hard-throwing Dunn had 11 strikeouts to Tweten’s eight. Tweten gave up seven hits while walking three in his complete game; Dunn allowed eight hits and five walks in taking the loss. “It was probably my best game of the year,” Tweten said. “I was throwing my fastball and curve for strikes, and I felt I kept them guessing.”

North Dakota Class B American Legion Baseball Tournament

In Grafton

Thursday’s results

Winners bracket second round

Munich 8, Casselton 5

Casselton 011 010 2 0 — 5 5 3

Munich 000 000 5 3 — 8 4 3

WP—Alex Anderson; LP—Mike Rose

Highlights—C: Rose 2-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI, Sam Schumacher 1-3, 3B, 1 run, 1 RBI, Alex Jacobson 1-4, 2 RBI; M: Travis Beck game-winning 3-run HR, Alex Anderson 1-3, 2B, 1 run, 2 RBI, Mitchell Wirth 1-3, 2 RBI

Grafton 6, LaMoure 2

Grafton 003 300 0 — 6 8 0

LaMoure 010 001 0 — 2 7 3

WP—Sam Tweten; LP—Gaige Dunn

Highlights—G: Todd Paulson 2-3, 3B, 1 RBI, Alex Cull 1-3, 2 RBI, Tweten 2 runs, Cory Blanchard 1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, Joe Demers 1-2, 2B; L: Chad Limesand 2-4, 2B, Brett Hample 2-4, Russ Young 1-3, 1 RBI, Zach Stemen 1-3, 1 RBI

Loser-out games

Velva 5, Watford City 3

Watford City 000 000 3 — 3 8 2

Velva 001 004 X — 5 8 3

WP—Ty Bruner; LP—Ben Haugeberg

Highlights—WC: Trey Jacobson 2-4, Reid Johnson 1-3, 2B, Lucas Nicholson 1-1, 1 RBI, Chris Larsen 1-3, 1 RBI; V: Bruner 8 K, Derek Fahy 2-3, 2B, 1 run, 2 RBI, Bruner 1-2, 1 run, 1 RBI, 3 SB, Jon Mack 1-3, 1 RBI, Chandler Mack 1-3, 1 RBI

Wasburn 17, Valley City 2

Washburn 025 64 — 17 12 1

Valley City 011 00 — 2 3 6

WP—Evan Eberle; LP—Trent Egan

Highlights—W: Cody Durkee 3-5, 2 runs, 5 RBI, Jeff Rasmussen 1-4, 2 RBI, Cole Bender 3-4, 2 2B, 2 runs, Brett Schreiner 2-3, 2 runs, Kirk Sailer 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 4 runs, Jared Hruby 2-2, 4 runs; VC: Cody Nelson-Olstad 1-2, 2B, 1 RBI, Tony Van Dyke 1-1, 1 RBI

DeVillers is a sports writer at the Grand Forks Herald, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.

Tags: legion baseball, class b, sports, baseball, lamoure