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JAMESTOWN — Despite a late push from the Fargo North Spartans, a six-run fifth inning was enough to see the Minot Magicians get a 10-5 win in the NDHSAA State Tournament on Wednesday, June 2, at Jack Brown Stadium. In the loss, the Spartans had four errors.
The Magicians took a 3-0 lead into the fifth inning when Morgan Nygaard led off with an infield single. Two batters later, Hunter Ruzicka hit a pop up that dropped in between left fielder Owen Branson and center fielder Daniel Boutain to score Nygaard and make it a 4-0 game. After another run came home, Noah Stenvold hit a bloop single to score two runs and pushed the lead to 7-0.
Ruzicka was involved in another run-scoring play as he grounded out, but the throw got past first baseman Charlie Kalbrener to score two to stretch the lead to 9-0.
“We’re just staying aggressive at the bat,” Magicians head coach Pete Stenberg said. “We’ve been playing better baseball lately and that’s what we’re trying to do, win every inning once you get a chance to put the foot down, we took advantage of that. We had a couple of miscues on their side that helped us but you’re gonna get those in tournament play and you gotta take advantage of them and we put a nice six spot up.”
The Spartans cut into the lead in the top of the sixth when Brady Manly hit a double that just died in front of center fielder Hunter Horner to score Kalbrenner and cut the deficit to 9-1. The Spartans would add another one in the inning on a groundout to make it 9-2.
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The Magicians added to the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Bubach reached on an error to lead off the inning and was eventually brought home after Rucizcka stole second and the throw went into center field to make it a 10-2 game.
In the seventh, the Spartans’ Will Bachmann crushed a ball off the fence in center to score Breitbach and cut the deficit to 10-3. The Spartans would add another two in the inning to cut the deficit to 10-5.
“I think it comes from within,” Spartans head coach Nathan Walsh said. “We’re excited to be here. It has to come from within. Tonight we’re going to have to do a little reflecting, there is a lot we can work on and move forward off of.”
FNHS 5, MHS 10
FNHS: 0 0 0 0 0 2 3–5 9 4
MHS: 2 0 0 1 6 1 X–10 7 1
WP: Tyler Buchanan LP: Kaden Kvidera
First round Bracket below:
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06/02
G1: W1 Bismarck Century 1, E4 Shanley 4
G2: E2 Wahpeton 3, W3 Dickinson 6
G3: W2 Minot 10, E3 Fargo North 5,
G4: E1 West Fargo Sheyenne vs. Jamestown, 6:45 p.m.
