Earlier today the Warroad American Legion baseball team defeated Red Lake County 5-4 in extra innings, and Stephen-Argyle defeated Crookston 4-3 with a walk-off win. The two teams then met tonight with the winner earning the #3 seed from the District 9 Division II North Sub-Section, and the loser being the #4 seed for next weekend’s District 9 Division II Sub-State Tournament. Just like the games earlier in the day, this one also featured a little bit of everything, and Warroad did just enough to outlast Stephen-Argyle for a 4-3 9-inning victory.
FIRST INNING
Stephen-Argyle had a great opportunity to score the first run of the game by loading the bases up. Nick Winge hit a one-out single, a Warroad error put the second runner on, and after a pop-out, Jackson Woinorawicz was hit by a pitch to load the bases with 2 outs. Warroad starting pitcher Liam Grover was not rattled and would strike the next Stephen-Argyle hitter out and get out of the jam.
Warroad would also load the bases and have a chance to score the first run of the game. After a leadoff single from Jack Jones, Stephen-Argyle pitcher Demetrius Oberg would get back-to-back strikeouts before walking the next hitter and giving up another single to load the bases. Oberg like Grover wasn’t rattled and induced a groundball out to get out of the jam and send us to the second inning tied at 0-0.
SECOND INNING
Stephen-Argyle would get Ty Winge on base to start the second inning on a Warroad error but nothing more. Warroad likewise got one runner on in the bottom of the inning on a 1-out single from Liam Grover, but Demetrius Oberg continued to deal for Stephen-Argyle striking out two more and keeping the game scoreless after two innings of play.
THIRD INNING
Stephen-Arygle would draw first blood thanks to two more Warroad errors. Jason Lindgren would reach base on a Warroad error, and after an errant pickoff attempt at first, Lindgren would advance all the way to third base. Demetrius Oberg would help his own cause and drive him in on the next pitch with a single, putting Stephen-Argyle in front 1-0. Warroad would get one hit from Matt Hard in the bottom of the frame but three flyouts would end the inning keeping Stephen-Argyle in front 1-0.
FOURTH INNING
Both teams would go 1-2-3 in the fourth inning as Demetrius Oberg and Liam Grover continued to pitch well for their respective teams.
FIFTH INNING
Stephen-Argyle would once again go 1-2-3 in the fifth inning on just 5 pitches from Liam Grover. Warroad would lead off the bottom of the inning with a walk from Murray Marvin Cordes who would then steal second base to put himself in scoring position. After a groundout to second base advance him to third, Evan Grover would hit a sacrifice fly to give Warroad their first run of the game and tie things at 1-1 heading into the sixth inning.Â
SIXTH INNING
Stephen-Argyle would get a leadoff single from Demetrius Oberg to start the top of the sixth inning, and two batters later Frank Finney would hit a single of his own to put runners on first and second base with just one out. Stephen-Argyle’s next two hitters would pop out and fly out, however, and Warroad was out of the inning with a chance to take their first lead of the game in the home half of the sixth.
Warroad would do just that getting a leadoff single from Blake Norris, and two more runners reaching base to load the bases with just one out. With the bases loaded, Liam Grover would hit a sacrifice fly to put Warroad in front 2-1, and Murry Marvin Cordes would add an insurance run with another single making it 3-1 Warroad after six complete innings.
SEVENTH INNING
Stephen-Argyle would not go down without a fight, scoring two runs to tie the game. Jackson Kekke would get things started with a single, Izyk Strege would then get hit by a pitch, and Nick Winge would hit a double pulling Stephen-Argyle within one run and putting runners on second and third base. Stephen-Argyle would then execute a suicide squeeze on a beautiful bunt from Jason Lindgren to tie the game at 3-3. Stephen-Argyle had a great chance to take the lead with a runner on third and just one out, but the next two hitters would groundout and strikeout, keeping the game tied at 3-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Warroad would go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning, and the game would go to extra innings.
EXTRA INNINGS
Stephen-Argyle would load the bases up in the top of the eighth inning with just one out on a walk by Ty Winge, a single from Carson Safranski, and fielders choice on a ball hit by Jackson Kekke where everyone was safe. Stephen-Argyle again would squander the opportunity with their next two hitters getting out, and Warroad would have a chance to win the game in the bottom of the eighth.
Warroad would get a two-out walk from Jacob Mcfarlane, but nothing more, and the game would head into the 9th inning of play.
Stephen-Argyle would go 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth, giving Warroad another opportunity to win the game in the home half of the inning. Warroad’s Murry Marvin Cordes would get hit by a pitch to start the inning, and after a walk put runners on first and second base, two wild pitches would allow Cordes to come home and score and give Warroad the 4-3 walk-off victory.
Warroad will now be the #3 seed from the North Sub-District at the District 9 Division II Sub-State Tournament in Crookston next week, and Stephen-Argyle will be the #4 seed.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Stephen-Argyle | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Warroad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Demetrius Oberg – Stephen-Argyle | 4.1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Jason Lindgren – Stephen-Argyle | 1.1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Marshall Trudeson – Stephen-Argyle (LP) | 2.1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Liam Grover – Warroad | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Blake Norris – Warroad (WP) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
For Stephen-Argyle –
Demetrius Oberg 2 for 5, rbi
Nick Winge 2 for 5, rbi
Jackson Kekke 1 for 2, run
Jason Lindgren, 1 for 4, rbi, run, sac bunt, stolen base
For Warroad –
Murry Marvin Cordes 1 for 2, rbi, 2 runs, 3 stolen bases, walk
Liam Grover 1 for 3, rbi, sac fly
Blake Norris 1 for 3, run, walk
Landen Thompson 1 for 4, run
