STEELE (NewsDakota)- Sometimes, when a team is mired in an offensive slump, all they need to finally get going is one big swing.

Enter Max Whitman.

The junior catcher launched a go-ahead grand slam, his first ever grand slam, in the third inning and the Carrington Cardinals never looked back in a 13-7 road win over the Kidder County Wolves in the Region III opener for Carrington on Tuesday.

The game began inauspiciously for Carrington (1-3, 1-0) as the Wolves scored three runs in the bottom of the first off starter Tate Wolsky.  But in the third, Cody Otto and James Rau singled, Wolsky walked, Josh Bickett walked to force home a run, then Whitman launched his impressive home run to straightaway left field for a 5-3 lead.

The Cardinals would add four in both the fourth and fifth innings as Wolsky settled down and picked up the win, holding the Wolves (0-3, 0-3) to five hits and four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings while throwing a career-high 111 pitches.  Otto, Wolsky and Bickett all scored three runs in the win.

The Cardinals return to play on Monday, facing Mohall-Lansford Sherwood at Noon and New Rockford-Sheyenne at 4:30pm with both games on KDAK The Cardinal.

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