RED LAKE FALLS SHUTS OUT FERTILE IN LEGION TOURNEY 1ST ROUND

The Red Lake County American Legion Gunder Austad Post 22 had a dominant pitching performance as they shut out Fertile Post 238 5-0 in the first round of the Northwest North Sub-state tournament first-round playoff game in Ada. 

FIRST INNING-
Red Lake County’s Colin Taggert came out throwing strikes as he retired Fertile in 1-2-3 fashion with two pop-outs and a ground out.
Red Lake County had a good start to the game offensively as Will Geiseke singled on the first pitch of the game. Ben Gullingsrud laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Gieseke to second base before he advanced to third on a wild pitch. Brook Seeger blasted a line drive down the right field line for a triple that scored a run. Seeger scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.

SECOND INNING-
Fertile’s Teegyn Johnson led off the inning with a line drive up the middle for a basehit. The next three batters were retired with two strikeouts and a pop-out.
Red Lake County’s Brock Knott laid down a bunt, but the Fertile catcher grabbed the ball and threw to first base for the out. Blake Breiland walked and hit courtesy runner Denny Lanctot, advanced to second. The next two batters were retired.

THIRD INNING-
Fertile was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with a pop-out, line-out, and fly-out. Red Lake County was also retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the inning with a pop-out and two ground outs.

FOURTH INNING-
Fertile was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with three fly-outs. Red Lake County added more runs in the bottom of the inning. Colin Taggert was hit by a pitch and advanced to second base on a balk. The next batter grounded out and Taggert advanced to third base on the play. Brock Knott hit a chopper to third base and threw to home to get the second out of the inning. Blake Breiland walked for the second time in the game and runners were at first and second base with two outs. Cain Cardinal put the ball in play and Knott scored before Breilands’ courtesy runner came into score on an error for a 4-0 lead.

FIFTH INNING-
Fertile was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with a ground out, fly out, and a strikeout. The first two Red Lake County batters were retired before Blake Audette was hit by a pitch, and Colin Taggert singled. The next batter flew out, and the inning was over.

SIXTH INNING-
Fertile’s Kane Oistad led off the inning with a single, and Joseph Sorenson laid down a sacrifice bunt to advanced Oistad to second base. The next two batters were retired.
Red Lake County’s Brock Knott started the bottom of the inning with a single and stole second base, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After an out, Cain Cardinal was hit by a pitch, and Will Gieseke singled to score a run for a 5-0 lead. The next two batters were retired.

SEVENTH INNING-
Red Lake County’s Taggert continued his mastery on the mound in the seventh inning. After giving up a leadoff walk, he retired the next three batters to pick up the complete game two-hit shutout in a 5-0 victory. 

Red Lake County improves to 9-4 on the year and will play Warroad in the winners bracket. Fertile drops to 6-9 on the year and will play Ada in a loser-out game.

Red Lake County leaders –
Will Gieseke – 2 for 4, rbi, run
Colin Taggert – 1 for 2, Hit by pitch
Brock Knott – 1 for 3, 2 runs
Brock Seeger – 1 for 4, rbi, run

Fertile leaders –
Kane Oistad – 1 for 2
Teegyn Johnson – 1 for 3