New Rockford, N.D. (NewsDakota.com)—–The Carrington Cardinals scored 8 runs in the fifth inning and defeated Midkota/Dakota Prairie/Lakota/Griggs County Central (Midkota) 10-0 in 6 innings to capture the Region 3 baseball title. The Cardinals were leading 1-0 prior to the 8 run 5th inning, scoring on a past ball in the fourth inning. The Cardinals sent 14 batters to the pate in the big inning which included 8 hits, and 10 batters in a row reaching first base safely (1 walk, 1 error, and 8 hits). The Cardinals left the bases loaded when Jayden Shipman lined out to Hunter Sand at shortstop to continue the game another inning. The Mustangs went down in order in the their half of the 6th inning and the Cardinals, needing just 1 one to win via the 10 run rule got a leadoff double from Kyle Leapaldt, moved to third base on a past ball and scored on Trey Rosenau’s walkoff single.
Shipman was the winning pitcher for Carrington, allowing just 3 hits, 1 hit batter, and 3 walks. Shipman struckout 7 Mustang batters and retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced. Shipman also went 2-4 at the plate with 2 RBI and 1 run scored. Leapaldt went 3-4, scored 3 runs, and had an RBI. Lucas Geiszler (2-4, run), Rosenau (2-4, 2 RBI, run), Drew Page (1-2, 2 RBI, run, BB), Seth Nelson (1-3, run, RBI), Hunter Mittleider (1-2, run, HBP), Garrett Bickett (2-2, sac bunt), Payton Smith (0-3, run, BB), all aided in the Cardinal victory. Hunter Gibson, Colton Berg, and Carter Anderson all had 1 hit for the Mustangs. Berg took the loss on the mound, pitching all 6 innings, allowing 10 runs, 9 earned, 14 hits, striking out 4 batters, walking 1 batter, and hitting 1 batter.
Midkota finishes the year with a 12-8 overall record and Carrington improved to 12-4 overall.
Midkota defeated Sheyenne-New Rockford (S-NR) earlier in the day 7-1 to advance to the title game against Carrington. The Mustangs scored 6 runs in the first 2 innings and were never threatened as they cruised to the 6 run victory. Hunter Gibson was the winning pitcher allowing just 1 earned run and 3 Black Sox hits. Gibson struckout 4 batters, walked 2, and hit 1 batter. Jonah Ringstad went 3-4, Carter Anderson was 2-4. The Black Sox season ended with a 5-9 overall record.
2018 Region 3 Awards
Senior Athlete of the Year—-Hunter Sand (Midkota)
Coach of the Year——Wayne Shipman (Carrington)
Eric Hewitt Iron Fist Award—Montana Hoyt (Midkota)
All region players:
Carrington—-Payton Smith, Kyle Leapaldt, Lucas Geiszler, Jayden Shipman
Midkota——-Hunter Sand, Hunter Gibson, Colton Berg, Cole Varnson
S-NR——-Beau Belquist, Teddy Allmaras, Tucker Longnecker
Kidder County—–Ty Biesterfeld, Ross Schneider, Parker Hager