VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – They will be seeds one and two in the East Region tournament so it is only fitting that West Fargo and Valley City split a doubleheader. Valley City took game one 5-0 and West Fargo took game 2 9-1.
GAME 1: Valley City Royals 5, West Fargo Aces 0
The Royals used one big inning and another solid pitching performance by Jacob Johnson to take the opener.
Valley City got all five runs in the bottom of the first inning when they got five of their nine hits. Avery Bennefeld led off the inning with an infield single. Corey Nelson reached on an error by first baseman Peyton Jantzi. Jacob Johnson doubled do the right field line to score Bennefeld. Grady Karges drove in Nelson with a single to center, with Johnson moving to third. Karges was thrown out trying to steal second base, but Johnson scored on the play to make it 3-0.
Riley Gerhardt was hit by a pitch. Courtesy runner Tate Sufficool stole second then came in on Easton Hesch’s single. Hesch went to second on the throw to the plate. Braxton Jorissen brought in Hesch with a single to cap the scoring.
Johnson did the rest. He allowed four hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out six. Jorissen pitched a scoreless seventh with two strike outs and a walk to finish up the game.
Johnson and Grady Karges had two hits each. Riley Gerhardt, Alex Thornton, Easton Hesch and Braxton Jorissen all had at least one hit.
With the win,Valley City clinched the number two seed in the East region tournament. The Aces will be the top seed in next week’s tournament.
GAME 2: West Fargo Aces 9, Valley City Royals 1
West Fargo scored three runs in the first, fourth and sixth innings. And used a solid pitching performance by Carter Carlson for the easy win.
Konner Entz had three hits, scored two runs and drove in two runs for the Aces. James Hagen and Aiden Wolf had two hits each. Hagen and Evan Berg scored twice each.
Valley City got it lone run in the third when Avery Bennefield tripled with one out then came on Corey Nelson’s ground out. Riley Gerhardt had the other hit for the Royals.
Carter Carlson allowed those two hits and the one run in seven innings. He walked four and struck out six.
Valley City is now 19-10 overall and 14-5 in the East Region. The Aces are 27-9-1 overall and 18-2 in the East Region.