Grafton beaten in title game

GRAFTON — Casselton defeated Grafton 7-4 here Sunday in the championship game of the North Dakota Class B American Legion baseball tournament.

Grafton scored all its runs in the bottom of the first inning, three on a Todd Paulson home run, with Cory Blanchard’s triple driving in the fourth run.

But Casselton came back with a three-run rally in the top of the second highlighted by Brandon Rust’s two-run triple.

Jalen Ham lined a triple into the gap in left-center field in the third to drive in two runs and give Casselton a permanent lead at 5-4. Casselton added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings.

Alex Jacobson threw shutout ball over the final six innings for the complete-game win, striking out nine while allowing nine hits. The 18-year-old was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

Mike Rose had three hits and two runs in the championship for Casselton, with Ham winding up with three RBI. Rust and Sam Schumacher had a pair of hits for Casselton, which won the state championship for the second time in three seasons.

In earlier games Sunday, Velva edged Grafton 5-4 in a game that had been suspended Saturday night due to inclement weather.

Grafton, as the lone unbeaten entering Saturday’s play, was guaranteed a berth in the title game regardless of the outcome of its game against Velva.

In a loser-out game, Casselton eliminated Velva with an 11-10 win. Beau Sinner lined a two-out single to center field in the bottom of the sixth inning, driving home a pair of runs to snap a 9-9 tie.

Schumacher and Jacobson each had three hits for Casselton, with Schumacher getting a double and a triple. Zach Podoll was 3-for-3 for Velva, including a solo home run in the seventh.

State Class B Legion Tournament

At Grafton

Championship

Casselton 7, Grafton 4

Casselton 032 010 1 — 7 12 1

Grafton 400 000 0 — 4 9 3

W—Alex Jacobson. L—Sam Tweten.

Highlights — C: Michael Rose 3 for 4, 2 runs, Brandon Rust 2 for 4, 3B, 1 run, 2 RBI, Jack Wilcox 1 for 3, 2B, 1 run, Sam Schumacher 2 for 4, Jacobson 1 for 2, 2 runs, Jalen Ham 1 for 4, 3B, 3 RBI; G: Todd Paulson 3 for 4, HR, 1 run, 3 RBI, Alex Cull 2 for 3, 1 run, Cory Blanchard 1 for 3, 3B, 1 RBI

Velva 5, Grafton 4

Conclusion of Saturday suspended game

Grafton 000 040 0 — 4 4 1

Velva 100 400 x — 5 8 2

W—Zach Podoll. L—Ryan Dusek.

Highlights — G: Todd Paulson 2 for 3, 1 run, Alex Cull 1for 2, 1 run, Cory Blanchard 2 RBI; V: Podoll 2 for 3, 2 2B, 1 run, Garrett Wible 1 for 2, 1 RBI, Chandler Mack 1 for 3, 1 run, 1 RBI, Alex Monk 1 for 3, 1 run, 1 RBI, Ty Bruner 1 for 4, 1 run, 1 RBI.

Loser-out game

Casselton 11, Velva 10

Velva 007 002 1 — 10 8 6

Casselton 332 102 x — 11 13 2

W—Jonathan Lubbers. L—Ty Bruner.

Highlights — V: Zach Podoll 3 for 3, HR, 2 runs, Chandler Mack 2 for 2, 2 runs, 2 RBI, Taylor O’Shea 1 for 2, 2B, 2 runs, Jon Mack 2 for 4, 1 run, 2 RBI; C: Alex Jacobson 3 for 4, 1 run, 1 RBI, Sam Schumacher 3 for 4, 2B, 3B, 2 runs, 1 RBI, Zach Prante 2 for 4, 1 run, 1 RBI, Beau Sinner 1 for 3, 1 run, 2 RBI, Jacob Mogen 1 for 4, 1 run, 2 RBI, Brandon Rust 1 for 2, 2 runs, Mike Rose 1 for 3, 2B, 1 run, 1 RBI.

Saturday’s game

Loser out

Casselton 7, Munich 4

Casselton 203 101 0 — 7 13 2

Munich 202 000 0 — 4 5 3

W—Sam Schumacher. L—Trevor Darling

Highlights: Casselton—Schumacher 3 for 3, 1 run, 1 RBI, Zach Prante 2 for 4, 2 RBI, Brandon Rust 2 for 4, 1 run, Jack Wilcox 1 for 3, 3B, 1 run, 2 RBI, Jacob Mogen 1 for 5, 2 runs Jalen Ham 1 for 4, 2B, 1 run, 1 RBI. Munich—Blake Klein 2 for 4 2B, 1 run, 1 RBI, Ben Tohm 1 for 4, 1 run, Travis Beck 1 for 3, 1 run, Derek Henke 1 for 2.

Tags: legion baseball, sports