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JAMESTOWN — For the second consecutive season, the West Fargo Sheyenne Mustangs defeated the Fargo Shanley Deacons in the NDHSAA State Championship game. The game was a lot closer than last year's with the Mustangs getting a 3-1 win to repeat as state champions.
“There are not many teams that can say they won back-to-back state championships,” Mustangs head coach Ryan Bodell said. “These guys can say it, especially these seniors that were a part of it last year they can definitely say they were a part of the first two teams for baseball to win state champions. It’s pretty special, pretty amazing.”
The winning pitcher, Casey Clemenson, threw a complete game with eight strikeouts while only allowing one run.
Clemenson retired eight of his last nine hitters.
“Coming into the game, I wasn’t super nervous, I was more anxious,” Clemenson said. “I just wanted to get to the game. The last inning is when the nerves came in because I wanted to finish it really badly.”
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The Deacons pitcher, Josh Biver, went six innings, giving up five hits and only one run.
The Mustangs’ (16-7) Brennan Haman led off the bottom of the first with a single before he moved to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Tate Gustafson flew out to center to score Haman and put the Mustangs up 1-0.
The Deacons (13-5) responded in the top of the second when Jayden Ouart hit a single down the right-field line to score Landon Meier to tie the game at 1-1.
The Mustangs regained a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third when Gustafson hit a double to right to score Haman. The Mustangs kept the pressure on as Caleb Duerr lined a single just past the outstretched arm of Sam Ovsak into left field. The next batter was Konner Entz who flew out to center deep enough to score the tagging Gustafson and push the lead to 3-1.
The Mustangs had an opportunity to add on in the fifth when they had the bases loaded and one out but an inning-ending double play kept the score at 3-1.
Deacons head coach Lucas Rustad said he thanked his players for their impact on the program after the game.
"I get a lot of these kids as eighth graders and I see them grow up before your eyes," Rustad said. "They’re a big part of my life; I’m also their teacher at school. Hopefully we continue to put in the work to become a better baseball team each year, and I hope that those kids that come through this program go on and have successful lives.”
SHS 1, WFS 3
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SHS: 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0–1 5 1
WFS: 1 2 0 0 0 0 X–3 5 1
WP: Casey Clemenson LP: Josh Biver
Full Bracket below:
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,
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G4: E1 West Fargo Sheyenne 10 W4 Jamestown 3
06/03
G5: W1 Bismarck Century 3, E2 Wahpeton 1
G6: E3 Fargo North 3, W4 Jamestown 4
G7: E4 Shanley 5 W3 Dickinson 2
G8: W2 Minot 0, W4 West Fargo Sheyenne 2
06/04
G10: W1 Bismarck Century 2, W4 Jamestown 4
G11: W3 Dickinson 9, W2 Minot 6
G12: E4 Shanley 1, E1 West Fargo Sheyenne 3
