We are part of The Trust Project.
JAMESTOWN — Despite the high winds and poor defensive showings from both teams, the Midgets’ Isaac Daley crushed a ball over the wall in right field to give his team the breathing room they needed to hold on to a 6-3 win on Thursday, June 2, at the state tournament at Jack Brown Stadium.
The Midgets had six errors, and the Huskies had three in the game.
“I think a lot of it is on the mental side,” Midgets head coach Pete Dobitz said. “What is our approach on natural grass compared to turf? I think some of that is focus, so we have to focus on the defensive side a little bit more.”
The Midgets (24-3) broke through in the fourth inning when they loaded the bases and Colin Tschetter grounded to shortstop Caden Kappes, who flipped it to the second baseman Jack Rittenhour whose throw to first was not in time, allowing Davin Siebel to score and make it a 1-0 game.
The Midgets stretched their lead out in the top of the fifth. The scoring started when the team executed a double steal with Troy Berg taking second and Aiden Haich stealing home to make it a 2-0 game. The team was able to push their lead out further when Drew Kovash bunted to the pitcher, Nickolas Zach, whose throw to first was not in time to get the sprinting Kovash, which allowed Haich to score and Isaac Daley to go to third. On the same play, the throw was dropped by the first baseman Josiah Hofman, who fired a ball home to try to get the running Daley, but the throw was dropped by the catcher, Jackson Fliflet, which pushed the Midgets' lead to 4-0.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Huskies (11-12) cut into the lead in the fifth when Tori Uhlich started off the frame by reaching on an infield ground out that he took off his face. Later in the inning, Hoffman grounded out to first baseman Daley, who took the sure out at first and sacrificed the run, making it a 4-1 game.
The Huskies weren’t done though as they hit a single to left to score Fliflet and make it a 4-2 game.
“It’s just something we talk about a lot, being mentally tough, keep battling all the time. We never feel like we’re out of the game until the game is over,” Huskies head coach Andrew Lunsetter said. “That’s a big thing we talk about, just keep working hard. We did a good job today of not expanding the strike zone, of making those pitches be in the strike zone that we were taking swings at. We did a pretty good job for the most part today of putting the ball in play.”
The Huskies continued to claw their way back into the game as Uhlich bunted to the pitcher, Bast, who threw the ball to Daley whose glove came off as Uhlich ran toward the base, allowing Rittenhour to score and cut the deficit to 4-3.
In the seventh inning, the Midgets’ Daley crushed a ball over the right field fence to push his team’s lead out to 6-3.
The Midgets return to the diamond at 4:30 p.m. Friday, June 3, when they face Shanley in the semifinals. The Huskies look to rebound at 11:30 a.m. Friday when they face Bismarck Century.
“I think the first game always has a little bit of tension,” Dobitz said. “I think once you get past that first game win or lose, whether you’re on the winner's side or loser's side, you seem to play a little bit looser.”
DHS 6, WHS 3
ADVERTISEMENT
DHS: 0 0 0 1 3 0 2–6 8 4
WHS: 0 0 0 0 2 1 0–3 7 3
WP: Drew Kovash LP: Caden Kappes
First round Bracket below:
06/02
G1: W1 Bismarck Century 1, E4 Shanley 4
G2: E2 Wahpeton 3, W3 Dickinson 6
G3: W2 Minot vs. E3 Fargo North, 4:30 p.m.
ADVERTISEMENT
G4: E1 West Fargo Sheyenne vs. Jamestown, 6:45 p.m.
