Wild finish leads to split for Post 14

Jamestown Post 14 made West Fargo's giant comeback a futile effort on Monday at Jack Brown Stadium.

The home team built an 8-0 lead after two innings, but needed extra innings to down the Patriots 10-9 in Class AA Legion baseball.

"We probably should not have been rewarded for winning that game," Jamestown coach Cory Anderson said. "We did some things wrong, fundamentally, but it was nice that we didn't let things go south after giving up a (six-run seventh inning lead)."

West Fargo eked out a 2-1 win in the opener and showed impressive resilience in the second game, trailing 9-3 going into the seventh. Jamestown was just three outs away, but starter Tyler Ukestad struggled, allowing six runs on seven hits before getting the third out.

Ukestad, who had pitched six solid innings, was able to escape the inning before West Fargo could get its game-leading seventh run.

Anderson said he chose to stay with Ukestad because of a short-handed roster, plus he said he made the change in Williston and it led to a loss.

"In Williston, we went the other way, and we were also short on options knowing what we have coming up," Anderson said.

After Nate Soulis pitched a scoreless top half of the eighth-which earned him the win-West Fargo turned to Hunter Ulmer to pitch the bottom half.

Ulmer walked Ukestad, and the Patriots elected to intentionally walk Soulis. Shaun Hogan laid down a bunt, and West Fargo chose to go after Ukestad sliding into third. The throw was wide, scoring him for the game-winning run.

"We were fortunate there on the error," Anderson added.

Soulis finished 3-for-4 including a two-run double that highlighted a six-run second inning. He also drove in a run in the first, when Post 14 scored twice.

In the opener, Noah Paper entered in relief of West Fargo ace Ben Strahm, who had elbow issues and left after pitching to two batters in the third. Paper has been a key bullpen arm for five years.

"You get used to it after a while," said Paper, who plays at Buena Vista (Iowa). "Most of my years have been in relief. It comes easy."

Jamestown stranded the bases loaded in the first three innings, but managed just one run. After Paper got out of a jam in the third, he cruised. He allowed four hits, a walk and struck out four over five innings.

"Noah really rose to the occasion," West Fargo coach Bill Ibach said. "He's real dependable, and he helps himself. He can pick guys off, and he plays good defense. He just battles."

West Fargo's winning run came in the sixth inning. Marcus Wohl had a one-out single and scored on a long single from Tony Nichols, who finished 2-for-3 with a double from the ninth spot in the order.

Jamestown's only run came in the second inning, when Tyler Ukestad drew a bases-loaded walk off Strahm to score Brandon Stahlhut. Post 14 stranded 12 runners total.

"Timely hits is the name of the game when you face good pitching," Anderson said. "If we continue to put ourselves in that situation, we're gonna be better for it."

Jamestown is set to host Fargo Post 400 on Wednesday in a game that had previously been scheduled to be on the road. The doubleheader starts at 5 p.m.

West Fargo 2, Jamestown 1

West Fargo 001 001 0 -- 2 9 1

Jamestown 010 000 0 -- 1 8 1

Ben Strahm, Noah Paper (3) and Marcus Wohl. Brian Wenzel and Joey Gebhardt.

W--Paper. L--Wenzel.

Highlights: WF, Paper 5 IP, 0 R, 4 H, walk, 4 Ks, Tony Nichols 2-3, double, R, Mike Glanville 1-3, RBI. J, Wenzel 7 IP, 2 R, 9 H, 2 walks, 1 K, Tyler Ukestad 2-3, walk, RBI, Ben Friebel 2-3.

Jamestown 10, West Fargo 9 (8)

West Fargo 000 120 60 -- 9 12 4

Jamestown 260 100 01 -- 10 10 2

Matt Hewitt, Tony Nichols (2), Hunter Ulmer (8) and Marcus Wohl, AJ Johnson (6). Tyler Ukestad, Nate Soulis (8) and Joey Gebhardt.

Highlights: WF, Noah Paper 4-4, RBI, 2 R, Ryne Bigelow 2-2, walk, 2 RBIs, 2 R. J, Soulis 3-4, R, double, 3 RBIs, walk, Brian Wenzel 2-3, 2 walks, 3 R, Joey Gebhardt 1-3, 2 walks, 2 R.