Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Editor's note: In the print edition of this story, the headline erroneously stated "Post 30 beats 'Sox." It should read "Post 25 beats 'Sox," as Carrington advanced to the state tournament. The online edition has been corrected. We apologize for the error.
The 2019 regular seasons in both the Class B high school and American Legion campaigns borne out the conclusion that Carrington and SNR played at a level above their local competition.
So it came to pass that the two longtime baseball rivals, separated by just 16 miles of Highway 281 pavement, would have another state tournament appearance for which to duel, this time for a spot in the State B tourney in Hazen starting this past Wednesday.
And, as it's gone much of the past half-decade, Carrington Post 25 took home the prize.
Post 25 earned their sixth consecutive trip to the State B American Legion Tournament Saturday, July 27, with a 7-6 thriller over the New Rockford Post 30 Black Sox in the first of two possible championship games at the District 4 Tournament held at Carrington's City Park.
After the 'Sox took a 1-0 lead after one on an RBI single by Hunter Thompson to score Teddy Allmaras, Carrington added five runs in the next two innings to surge ahead by a 5-1 tally.
The second inning brought two crucial Black Sox errors to the forefront, allowing three unearned runs to score after Brandon Larson and Lucas Geiszler's run-scoring hits. In the third, it was Nic Lyman's turn to provide the heroics for Carrington, as he added a two-run single.
New Rockford's big inning came in the fourth against Post 25 starter Seth Nelson. Tucker Longnecker started the inning by reaching on an error. Walks to Thompson, Luke Ystaas and Koven Walford followed, and Colt Soderholm's two-run single tied the game at five all.
That deadlock was short-lived, however. Carrington would answer with a Drew Page RBI single to go ahead by one, 6-5, and he would later scamper home on an errant Bo Belquist offering to make it a 7-5 ballgame.
Post 30 would get one run back in the sixth when Nick Presnell led off with a single, Soderholm walked after a Walford strikeout and Belquist drove home Presnell with a hit.
That would be the end of the night for Nelson, as Post 25 Coach Tim Ranum brought in Geiszler to get the final two outs of the inning.
The starting catcher for Carrington induced two fly outs to left to get out of the inning, and retired the side in order in 1-2-3 fashion for the save in the seventh to end the Black Sox's season.
Belquist took the loss, pitching five innings, and Soderholm threw the final inning for New Rockford.
Allmaras concluded his stellar athletic career with a 2-for-4 showing at the plate and a run scored. He, along with Longnecker, are the only Post 30 players to complete their Legion eligibility.
Coach Elliott Belquist's Black Sox finished the season with a 22-6 overall record.
As for Carrington (23-7), they took on the host Hazen Post 189 Astros in the final game of the first round at the State B Wednesday, July 31.
Other teams to qualify were the Hettinger Post 115 Bears, Fargo Bombers, Burlington Bulldogs, May-Port-CG Post 8 Patriots, Surrey Blue Sox and Thompson Post 181.
District 4 American Legion Baseball Tournament, Carrington
Saturday, July 27
Championship
Carrington 7, Post 30 6
NR 100 401 0 - 6 6 2
Cgtn. 032 200 x - 7 8 1
Bo Belquist, Colt Soderholm (6) and Luke Ystaas; Seth Nelson, Lucas Geiszler (6) and Geiszler, Payton Smith (6). W - Nelson. L - Belquist. SV - Geiszler.
Post 30: Teddy Allmaras 2-4, run; Hunter Thompson 1-2, run; Soderholm 1-2; Nick Presnell 1-3, run; Belquist 1-4; Tucker Longnecker, Ystaas and Koven Walford one run each.
Carrington: Trey Rosenau 2-4, 2 runs; Nic Lyman 1-2, 2 RBI; Brandon Larson 1-3, 2 runs, RBI; Geiszler, Drew Page and Ethan Buskness 1-3, run; Smith 1-4, double.
