HUNTER, ND. (NewsDakota.com) The Oakes Tornadoes baseball team struggled to get their bats going in the opening round of the Region 1 Baseball Tournament, and as a result, they fell to Oak Grove 6-4.

The Tornadoes were only able to produce three total hits thanks to fantastic pitching from Grovers’ senior starter Max Strobel. Strobel struck out nine batters including three in the second inning and three more in the sixth.

Oakes gave themselves a chance to win in the bottom of the seventh inning with back-to-back hits from senior third baseman Connor Schall and junior catcher Howie Neustel and a walk from senior first baseman Jaidy Gebhardt. With bases loaded and nobody out, senior left-fielder grounded into a force out at the plate. Junior right-fielder Bryley Haberman lined out to Oak Grove’s eighth-grade second baseman Greyson Dockter who threw it back to first for the final out to complete the double play.

Schall had the only multi-hit day for the Tornadoes going 2-3 with a run. Neustel went 1-1 with a run and reached via two walks and a hit-by-pitch. Freshman Blayson Dolney pitched well in relief and gave up just one run while allowing just one walk and six hits with two strikeouts in three-and-one-third innings.

Oakes will be in action tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. against the loser of Kindred and the winner of Northern Cass/HFRCTL.