Kindred, ND (NewsDakota.com) – The Oakes Tornadoes were unable to hold onto a 1 run lead in the 6th as the Kindred Vikings got the 4-3 victory.
The game started with James Throener would lead off the 1st with a double for Oakes however Harry Nuestal would follow it up with a line drive hit right at the shortstop who would double off Throener ending the threat. The Vikings would score a run after Zade Heier struggled early on giving up a walk and hitting 3 batters allowing the 1st run of the game. He did however strike out 3 to get out of the jam. Oakes would get the tying run in the top of the 2nd however with Heier reaching on an error, stealing 2nd, and advancing to 3rd on a wild pitch. Jack Thorpe would then ground into a fielders choice to get Heier in to tie the game 1-1.
The tie would not last however as in the bottom of the 3rd Carson Gette would single and then steal 2nd base. Tyler Gronwald would then single him returning the 1 run lead to the Vikings. Oakes wouldn’t respond till the top of the 5th inning when Ben Wagner would single and be bunted over to 2nd. He would then steal 3rd base and be replaced by Brody Maher. James Throener would then get hit by a pitch setting up runners on the corners with 1 out. Throener would take off for 2nd base, the throw would be cut off but dropped as Maher started coming home allowing him to score tying it at 2-2. Throener would then get to 2nd on a wild pitch then go home on a second wild pitch giving Oakes a 3-2 lead.
Ben Wagner would then come in relief of Heier and get a 1-2-3 bottom of the 5th. Oakes would again threaten the 6th but strand Michael Hoistad at 2nd. Wagner would then walk 2 batters in the 6th inning making it 2 on with 1 out as Michael Hoistad came in for the save opportunity. It was not to be however as he’d hit a batter and then Graham Hesse would bunt in the tying run and reach on an error. Gette would then get a 2 out single to score another run making it 4-3.
Oakes would get Wagner aboard in the top of the 7th. They’d try to have Anthony Ferderer bunt him over again but Jack McDonald would charge off the mound and gun it to 2nd to get the lead runner out. McDonald would then walk Throener resulting in 2 on with 1 out. The Vikings would give the ball to Eli Maack to get the save. He would strike out the next 2 Oakes batters to clinch the win.
The winning pitcher was Jack McDonald (6.1 IP, 5H, 1 BB, 6K, 3 R, 2 ER) with Eli Maack (.2 IP, 2 K) getting the Save. The loss goes to Ben Wagner (1.1 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 R, 1 ER), Michael Hoistad (.2 IP, 1 H) gets charged a blown save. Zade Heier (4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 8 K, 2 R, 2 ER) got the start for Oakes.
Next for Oakes is Enderlin on Friday May 9th in Oakes with pregame on KDDR The Tornado at 4:45 pm and first pitch at 5:00 pm.
Total Run Time – 1:57