Post #30 takes championship

New Rockford Post #30 traveled to Bottineau on June 18-19 to play in the First Annual Bottineau Memorial Veterans Tournament sponsored by Bottineau Post #42. NR went undefeated in the tournament, taking first place and running their overall record to 8-0.

The first opponent on Friday for the Sox was Kenmare Post #64. NR was able to score early and often, defeating Kenmare 10-0 in five innings. Nick Berglund, Caden Price and Alex Harrison all had multiple hits in the game. The pitching of Berglund and Koven Walford combined for a no-hitter and shutout.

Luke Crosby started the game for Kenmare, gave up six runs in three innings and took the loss.

Legion Baseball

NR 10, Kenmare 0

at Bottineau

Friday, June 18

Kenmare 000 00 --- 0 0 1

NR 303 31 --- 10 11 3

Nick Berglund, Koven Walford (4) and Koby Duda; Luke Crosby and Peyton Nelson, Cohen Sieme (3). W -- Berglund. L -- Crosby.

Kenmare: Crosby 3 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 6 K; Bo Thingvold 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 K; Hunter Handeland 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 0 K.

NR: Berglund 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K, 3-3, 3 RBI, 2 R; Walford 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1-2, 2 BB, 3 SB, RBI, 2 R; Harrison 2-3, RBI, 2 R; Price 2-4, SB, RBI, R; Luke Yri 1-3, 2 RBI, R; Hunter Jacobson 1-3, RBI; Connor Knatterud 1-1, 2 BB, 3 SB, 2 R.

The next game up on Friday was against Velva Post #39. This game was close early on. NR started the scoring with two runs in the top of the third. Walford scored on a line drive through the middle by Harrison. Berglund drove Harrison in on a missed pop fly by the 39ers second baseman. Velva came back with four runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead. The Sox were able to break it open and take the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning, with Duda, Yri, Trevor Waldo, Walford, Price and Harrison all scoring. They tacked on two more runs in the seventh for the 10-4 victory.

Alex Harrison pitched all seven innings for the Sox in the win. He gave up seven hits, four runs, no walks and had eleven strikeouts on 90 pitches. Blake Engebretson started for Velva, pitched six innings and took the loss.

NR 10, Velva 4

at Bottineau

Friday, June 18

NR 002 006 2 --- 10 12 2

Velva 004 000 0 --- 4 7 2

Alex Harrison and Koby Duda; Blake Engebretson, Carter Newman (7) and Michael Thomas. W -- Harrison. L -- Engebretson.

NR: Harrison 7 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 11 K, 1-4, BB, RBI, 2 R; Duda 4-4, RBI, R; Walford 2-5, SB, 3 RBI, 3 R; Price 2-5, 2 RBI, R; Berglund 1-4, RBI; Yri 1-4, R; Waldo 1-3, R; Knatterud 0-2, 2 BB, R.

Velva: Engebretson 6 IP, 11 H, 8 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 2-4, R; Newman 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K; Ricky Gonzales 2-3, RBI, R; Thomas 1-4, R; Tace Pederson 0-2, HBP, R; Cayden Craig 1-3, 2 RBI.

NR took on the host team Bottineau Post #42 in the first game of the day on Saturday. Connor Knatterud got the start and win for the Sox, and was able to hold a powerful Bottineau offense to only four runs on six hits, and four walks with two strikeouts. Koven Walford made his second appearance in the tournament to complete the 10-5 win.

Harrison and Berglund continued to swing hot bats in this one, going 2-3 and 2-4, respectively. Walford, Price, Duda, and Knatterud also had hits in the game. The key inning for the Sox was the fourth inning in which they scored six runs to take the lead.

Sutton Shirley took the loss for Bottineau after starting the game, pitching four innings and giving up nine runs.

NR 10, Bottineau 5

at Bottineau

Saturday, June 19

Bottineau 101 201 0 --- 5 8 4

NR 210 610 x --- 10 8 1

Connor Knatterud, Koven Walford (6) and Koby Duda; Sutton Shirley, Ryder Pollman (5), Braeden Volk (6) and Riley Biberdorf. W -- Knatterud. L -- Shirley.

Bottineau: Shirley 4 IP, 6 H, 9 R, 4 BB, 5 K; Pollman 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K; Volk 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K; Carson Haerer 2-3, BB, SB, 2 R; Biberdorf 2-4, SB, RBI, Milan Davis 1-3, BB, 2 R; Lewis Gorder 1-2, RBI; MJ Aasen 1-1, BB, RBI; Eli Bristol 0-0, BB, R.

NR: Knatterud 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 2 K, 1-3, RBI, R; Walford 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 0 K, 1-4, 2 RBI, R; Harrison 2-3, BB, SB, 2 R; Berglund 2-4, SB, RBI, R; Price 1-3, SB, RBI, 2 R; Duda 1-3, BB, SB, 2 RBI, R; Waldo 0-2, BB, 2 R.

Because the championship game did not get started until almost 6:00 p.m. on Saturday evening, it was decided the championship game would only be only five innings. The game was a rematch between NR and Velva. Koby Duda took the ball for the Sox and pitched all five innings in the win. Velva sent Ricky Gonzales to the mound in a losing effort.

Velva started the scoring in the third inning when Gonzales scored on a wild pitch. That would be their only run. NR came back in the bottom of the inning to score four runs. The inning started with Knatterud reaching on an error. Walford followed with a single and Price walked. Harrison grounded into a fielder's choice with Knatterud out at the plate. Berglund then reached on an error with Walford scoring. Hunter Jacobson had the big hit of the game with a double that scored Price, Harrison and Berglund. NR was able to add on two more runs in the fourth to extend their lead. The Black Sox won the game 6-1 to take the tournament championship.

NR 6, Velva 1

at Bottineau

Saturday, June 19

Velva 001 00 --- 1 4 3

NR 004 2x --- 6 6 1

Koby Duda and Alex Harrison; Ricky Gonzales and Michael Thomas. W -- Duda. L -- Gonzales.

Velva: Gonzales 4 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 1-3, R; Engebretson 1-3; Elijiah Nickelson 1-2; Mason Kraft 1-2.

NR: Duda 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K; Walford 2-3, 2 R; Berglund 2-3, SB, 2 RBI, R; Jacobson 2-2, SB, 3 RBI; Price 0-2, BB, 2 R; Harrison 0-3, RBI, R.

Bottineau defeated Kenmare 16-12 for third place.