VALLEY CITY, ND  (Submitted) Brothers III/Dakota Silver of Valley City won the 2023 North Dakota state co-ed softball championship in Fargo this past weekend. The team went 6-1 in the double elimination tournament with victories over teams from Fargo, West Fargo, and Grand Forks.

Brothers III/Dakota Silver dropped their first game on Saturday losing 8-7 to the Blackout Squad out of Fargo putting them into the losers bracket. In their second game, The team defeated I29 Trailer Sales out of West Fargo 12-4. Sara Laib was 2-3 with two runs scored in the game. In their third game the team faced a rematch with the Blackout Squad, this time coming out on top 9-6. In another rematch with I29 Trailer Sales, the team prevailed 21-7. Rylee Perez went 5-6 with a double and triple in the game and Brian Fike went 4-5.

In their fifth game Brothers III/Dakota Silver faced Bar Down out of Fargo winning 16-6. The team took control with a six run fourth inning that began with doubles from Brian Fike, Jessica Meland, and a triple by Pat Bresnahan. Brady Anderson hit two home runs in the game and Cody Nelson-Olstad went 3-3 with a double.

In the championship, Brothers III/Dakota Silver needed to beat the undefeated Wells Drinking Well out of Grand Forks twice. In the first championship game, Brothers III fell behind early trailing 4-1 before a diving catch by Stacie Fettig ended the third inning. In the fourth inning, the team put up seven runs with the help of a home run from Brady Anderson and doubles from Bresnahan and Nelson-Olstad winning 13-4. Jordyn Heck went 4-4 with a home run and Bresnahan had two doubles and a triple.

In the second championship game Brothers III/Dakota Silver took control early with five runs in the first inning and nine runs in the fourth inning. Kara Anderson went 3-4, Fike was 3-3, and Bresnahan hit three doubles. Heck and Brady Anderson both finished 4-4 in the game. Brady Anderson hit a three run home run followed by another home run by Heck in the fourth inning giving the team a 11-3 lead. The game finished 21-4 giving Brothers III/Dakota Silver the state championship.

Pat Bresnahan led the team batting hitting .846 with ten doubles and four triples. Brady Anderson hit .793 with five home runs, four doubles and three triples. Rylee Perez hit .633 including a .750 average in the championship games. Jordyn Heck batted .786 in the tournament going 8-8 with two home runs in the championship games. The state championship is the third in a row for Brothers III/Dakota Silver who won in Fargo in 2021 and Grand Forks in 2022.

The Fargo USA Softball Association hosted the tournament that included 30 teams across 3 divisions. The tournament included teams from Valley City, Jamestown, Fargo, Grand Forks, and other eastern North Dakota cities.