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N.D. (NewsDakota.com)——The Carrington Cardinals defeated Midkota-DP 3-2 in 10 innings to capture the Region 3 baseball title and advance to next weeks state tournament in Fargo. The title for Carrington was the fourth in the past five years (2012, 2013, 2015, & 2016. Midkota won the 2014 title over Carrington.
The Cards and Mustangs were locked in a pitching dual the entire game, only 1 earned run for each team. Cardinal starting pitcher Kyle Leapaldt (Freshman), pitched 7 strong innings, allowing 2 runs (1 earned), 4 hits, striking out 5, and walking just 2 batters. Braxton Hewitt started the 8th inning and finished the game as the winning pitcher, going 3 innings, no runs allowed, 1 hit, walked 2 (1 intentional), and struck out 2 including the final out in the 10th inning with runners at1st and 2nd base. Tyler Gravseth and Jayden Grover combined for 9 2/3 innings of great pitching as well, but 2 errors in the bottom of the 10th inning led to Carrington’s game winning run. Gravseth started the game going 8 innings, allowing 2 runs (1 earned), 5 hits, 2 strike outs, walked 3, and hit 1 batter. Grover was the tough luck losing pitcher, going 1 2/3 inning, allowing 1 unearned run, no hits, struck out 1, and 2 intentional walks.
Carrington scored first in the third inning after a Payton Smith single to start the inning he scored later in the inning on a Hewitt sacrifice fly out to center field. Smith reached 3rd base on a wild pitch to second and a flyout to right field. Midkota would get the next 2 runs, scoring on a sacrifice fly out from Sean Perry in the 4th inning scoring Grover who reached on an error to start the inning, The Mustangs would take the lead in the 5th when leadoff batter Hunter Sand walked and came around to score on a double to deep left field off the bat of Eric Gilbertson. Carrington would tie the game up in the 6th inning with 2 outs, Leapaldt doubled to left centerfield. Courtesy runner Garrett Bickett stole 3rd base and scored on a past ball. The Cards scored the winning run I the bottom of the 10th. Leadoff batter Connor Wendel reached on an error, & went to 2nd base on the errant throw. Lucas Geiszler moved Wendel to 3rd base with a sacrifice bunt. After 2 intentional walks to Hewitt and Alex Stusynski to load the bases, Leapaldt hit a groundball to shortstop Hunter Sand who threw home for force out (2nd out), catcher Eric Gilbertson tried for the double play back to first and the ball pulled first baseman Bradyn Sand off the base, hitting the tip of his glove and rolling into the outfield allowing Hewitt to score. Carrington will enter the state class B tourneyin Fargo next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (June 2-4) with a 21-1 overall record. Midota finished the season 16-8 overall. Carrington statetourney games will be broadcast live on AM 1600 KDAK and also at www.newsdakota.com
Tourney results Monday: Lakota-Edmore 14 M-P-B 11 (play-in game)
Sheyenne-NR (S-NR) 3 Midkota-DP 2
Carrington 10 Lakota-Edmore 3
Tuesday:
Midkota-DP 11 Lakota-Edmore 1 (6 innings)
Carrington 13 S-NR 3 (5 innings)
Midkota-DP 5 S-NR 3
All Region 3 Team:
Carrington–Lucas Geiszler, Brett Lyman, Jayden Shipman, and Braxton Hewitt
S-NR—Seth Soderholm, Ben Makay, and Kaleb Haley
Midkota-DP—–Tyler Gravseth and Jayden Grover
Lakota-Edmore—-Randy Thompson and Jon Skjervheim
Coach of the year went to Wayne Shipman of Carrinton and the senior player of the year Jayden Grover of Midkota-DP.