The Red Lake County American Legion Baseball team suffered a loss yesterday to Stephen-Argyle in the first round of the District 9 Division II North Sub-District Tournament. They were back in action today taking on top-seeded Warroad who also lost yesterday to Roseau. The two teams played an incredible game that had a little bit of everything, including extra innings, where Warroad was able to outlast Red Lake County and win the game 5-4.
FIRST INNING
Red Lake County was the designated visitors and went down quietly with a 1-2-3 top of the first inning with two flyouts and a groundout. Warroad would work a leadoff walk in the bottom of the frame, but Red Lake County starting pitcher Peyton Fish would work around it, getting three straight outs and keeping the game tied at 0-0.
SECOND INNING
Red Lake County pounced on Warroad in the second inning scoring three runs. Brock Seeger first reached on an error, and after a Pacey Struthers single, a ball hit on the infield was fielded cleanly but Warroad had no play so the bases were loaded. Gunnar Halverson would then deliver a two-run single down the leftfield line. Another soft hit on the infield allowed another Red Lake County runner to reach to once again load the bases. Warroad would turn a double play to get the first two outs of the inning, but Brock Knott would come home to score on the play. Warroad would then get the final out but Red Lake County would take a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the frame.Â
Warroad would get a 1-out single in the bottom of the second inning, and after a groundout advanced the runner to second base, another base knock would give Warroad a chance to score. The runner would round third and head for home, but a perfect one-hop strike from centerfielder Carson Erickson would be in time to allow catcher Blake Breiland to make the tag for the final out of the inning, keeping Red Lake County in front 3-0.
THIRD INNING
Red Lake County would get the leadoff hitter aboard in the top of the third inning, but another Warroad double play would erase the threat and get them out of the inning. Warroad would put two runners on base with just 1-out in the bottom of the frame, but again Fish would work out of the jam to keep Red Lake County in front 3-0. A big out in the inning came on a throw out from Blake Brieland down to Cain Cardinal on a Warroad steal attempt.Â
FOURTH INNING
Red Lake County would be held scoreless in the top of the fourth inning, and Warroad would finally break through offensively. Daniel Rose would draw a lead-off walk, and after an out was recorded, an errant pickoff attempt would allow Rose to go all the way to third base. Another walk put runners on the corners, and a bloop single from Kanon Hoffman would give Warroad their first run of the game. After a flyout advanced the runners to second and third base with two outs, Jack Jones would deliver a two-run single to tie the game at 3-3. He would be picked off of second base to end the inning, but Warroad had reclaimed the moment and we would head to the final three innings of play in a tie game.
FIFTH INNING
Red Lake County would reclaim the lead in the top of the fifth inning with back-to-back singles to get things started from Carson Erickson and Ben Gullingsrud. After an out was recorded, the Warroad pitcher would balk, putting runners on third and second base with just one out. That would allow Pacey Struthers to hit a ground ball out to give Red Lake County the lead back at 4-3.Â
Warroad would also score however in the bottom of the frame, with a one-out double from Matt Hard, and a rbi single from Blake Norres to tie the game at 4-4. Red Lake County would turn a double play on the next batter, and the game would enter the sixth inning tied at 4-4.
SIXTH INNING
Red Lake County would get a 2-out walk from Blake Brieland, and a single from Peyton Fish, but Warroad pitcher Jacob Mcfarlane would get the final out of the inning stranding both runners on base. Warroad would have a chance in the bottom of the sixth inning to take their first lead of the game but would go down quietly 1-2-3.
SEVENTH INNING
Red Lake County would load the bases with just one out in the top of the seventh inning with walks from Ben Gullingsrud, Pacey Struthers, and Brock Knott. Warroad would get a huge strikeout for the second out of the inning, and a groundout to first base would leave the bases loaded, and the game tied at 4-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Warroad would get the leadoff hitter aboard in the seventh inning on a Red Lake County error, putting the winning run on base. After a groundball out where Red Lake County was able to get the force out at second base, Evan Grover would rope a base hit putting runners on first and second base. Red Lake County would bring in Pacey Struthers to pitch, and he would walk the first hitter he faced to load the bases. But just like Red Lake County did in the top half of the inning, Warroad would leave the bases loaded with a pop-out, and fly out to deep centerfield to end the inning, sending us into extra innings.
EXTRA INNINGS
Red Lake County would go down quietly in the top of the eighth inning, giving Warroad another chance to win the game. Warroad would get two walks to start the bottom of the eighth, giving them a chance to bunt and put the winning run on third base. They would bunt, and Red Lake County would try and throw the runner out at third base, but the ball would sail into left field, allowing the Warroad runner to go all the way home, giving them the 5-4 extra-innings win.
Warroad will now play in the third place game later today against the winner of Crookston and Stephen-Argyle. The winner of that game will be the #3 seed in the District 9 Division II Sub-State District tournament next week in Crookston, while the loser will be the #4 seed. Red Lake County’s season comes to an end with the loss.
FOR RED LAKE COUNTY COACH SETH SCHMITZ’S COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E | |
| RLC | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 3 |
| Warroad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 2 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Peyton Fish – RLC | 6.1 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Pacey Struthers – RLC (LP) | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Jacob Mcfarlane – Warroad | 6 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Blake Norres – Warroad (WP) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
For Red Lake County –
Gunnar Halverson 2 for 4, 2 rbi
Pacey Struthers 1 for 3, rbi, run, walk
Ben Gullingsrud 1 for 4, run, walk
Brock Seeger 1 for 4, run
For Warroad –
Jack Jones 1 for 2, 2 rbi, walk, hit by pitch, stolen base
Kanon Hoffman 2 for 3, run
Evan Grover 2 for 4
Matt Hard 1 for 3, 2B, run, walk
