Carrington, N.D. (NewsDakota.com)—Midkota-Dakota Prairie-Lakota-Griggs County Central (MDPLGCC) defeated Carrington 11-6 in Region 3 baseball. The Mustangs scored first in the top of the first inning, aided by 3 hit batters and a bases loaded walk to Kaleb Short would bring in Garrett Haakenson for 1-0 lead. This would be the only earned run of the game for the Mustangs. The Cardinals answered in the bottom of the first with 2 runs and the only lead of the game. Three straight singles to start the game from Lucas Hendrickson, Grady Shipman (RBI single scoring Hendrickson), and Ethan Buskness aided the 2 runs. Shipman scored later on a Mustang error. Both teams left the bases loaded in the first inning and Carrington stranded 12 base runners overall and MDPLGCC stranded 10.

The Mustangs would score the next 9 runs, building a 10-2 lead. A five run second inning was the big blow, aided by 3 Carrington errors, 2 hit batters, and Mustang hits, sparked by a 2 run double from starting pitcher and cleanup batter Cole Hendrickson scoring Cade Stein and Haakenson. Short and Brody Berg added RBI singles to cap the inning. The Mustangs added a run in the third inning, 3 in the fourth, and a run in the seventh. Haakenson was the only Mustang hitter to collect multiple hits with 2, going 2-4, scored 4 runs, RBI, and 3 stolen bases. Ross Thompson went 0-2 but was hit by pitch 3 times, scored a run, and added a stolen base.

Carrington added 2 runs in the sixth inning, cutting the lead to 10-4 and left runners at second and third base to end the inning. Buskness (2-5, RBI) had an RBI single scoring Lucas Hendrickson (2-5, 2 runs, RBI), and Hudson Schmitz delivered an RBI single scoring Shipman (2-4, 2 runs, BB, RBI). Trailing 11-4, the Cardinals added 2 runs in the seventh, an RBI bases loaded walk to Josh Bickett (1-3, RBI, BB, 2B) forced in Michael Clifton (1-3, run, RBI, SB). The final run was scored on Lucas Hendrickson RBI groundout plating Jack Erickson.

Cole Hendrickson pitched 6 innings, allowing 4 runs (3 earned), 3 base on balls, 1 hit batter, struckout 3, and allowed 8 hits. Hudson Schmitz took the loss for the Cards, allowing 10 runs (1 earned), 7 hits, walked 2, hit 6 batters, and struckout 1 batter.

MDPLGCC improved to 6-7 overall and 4-4 in Region 3 and Carrington dropped to 9-5 overall and 6-3 in region play. The Cardinals will host Velva on Friday (May 14th) at 5:30 and the game will be aired on AM 1600 KDAK (THE CARDINAL), FM 100.1, and www.newsdakota.com