FARGO — When the Firebirds needed a win most, they turned to the guy who’s been getting it done for them all spring.
“It was Mason’s game to win or lose,” Devils Lake head coach Brent Luehring said. “The first game [of the playoffs] didn’t go the way we wanted it to. The way we played with teams all year long, whether we split with them or sweep them, we kind of felt like if we got here and we could pitch it well, we’d have a shot to win every game. Mason gave us that opportunity.”
Senior Mason Palmer, Devils Lake’s ace, had no issue with the spotlight.
He struck out eight in a complete game, allowing no earned runs. Devils Lake’s offense did just enough as the No. 7-seeded Firebirds (12-10) won 4-1 over No. 6 seed Fargo Davies (18-13) in an Eastern Dakota Conference loser-out game at Starion Bank Field on Friday.
Palmer threw 118 pitches. He left it all out there as Devils Lake got within one win of the state tournament.
“It feels great. The boys are ecstatic,” Palmer said. “The energy is high right now. We’ve just got to keep it rolling.”
The Firebirds struck first against right-hander Wyatt Kosidowski, who pitched well against them in a 7-2 Davies win on April 28. The first three batters reached — via two walks and a Max Palmer single — to load the bases. Davies held a mound meeting before Kosidowski had gotten an out.
“He was kind of all over. He wasn’t throwing many strikes with his fastball,” Mason Palmer said. “And I think that was allowing us to attack his fastball when he had to throw it.”
Devils Lake scratched out two runs from the key early opportunity. Will Heilman notched an RBI single, and Taydon Triepke added a sacrifice fly.
“That was what we lacked when we faced [Kosidowski] in late April. We had guys all on game long, just like today, and we didn’t capitalize,” Luehring said. “We kept the pressure on. Finally broke through.”
The 2-0 lead was particularly crucial as Kosidowski settled in over the middle innings. After struggling to hit his spots in the first, he went on to record 10 strikeouts, including five in a row at one point. He threw four straight scoreless innings.
Palmer, meanwhile, struck out two batters in each of the first three innings. He had his curveball working and induced a solid amount of swing-and-miss.
“I could pretty much throw [my curveball] in whatever count I wanted to,” Palmer said.
Davies scored its lone run in the second, on a ball mishandled in right field after a two-out single. It was an unearned run, but it kept the Eagles in the game with Devils Lake leading 2-1.
Kosidowski hit a leadoff single in the fourth, and he got to third with one out. Standing 90 feet away from the plate as the tying run, he got picked off, getting caught in a rundown and being thrown out by Devils Lake catcher Ben Brodina.
Brodina nearly waited too long to throw the ball, but Kosidowski appeared to come off the bag sliding back into third base. Easton Kraft did a good job to keep the tag on him.
“In a game of ups and downs and momentum, and you’re trying to hold on by one run, we’ll take an out any way we can get it,” Luehring said.
After Kosidowski had been mowing down the Firebirds’ lineup, Tayven Wiberg drew a 3-2 walk on a close pitch to end his five-batter strikeout streak in the sixth inning. Brodina dunked a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch, setting up a key spot for Max Palmer.
Max, Mason’s twin, lined a single. It scored two runs and knocked Kosidowski out of the game, all in one swoosh. Devils Lake’s lead became much more comfortable at 4-1.
“It opened it up for us,” Mason said. “We felt more safe with more runs, and Max is a dog. I didn’t expect anything less out of him.”
Mason survived a pair of two-out hits in the fifth and a two-out walk in the sixth. His pitch count was at 109 entering the seventh. The rule is that once a pitcher gets to 120, he cannot start a new at-bat.
“I went out there just trying to get the ball over the plate,” Palmer said. “Let ‘em hit the ball, and just hopefully hit it right to our guys.”
The frame got off to an uneasy start as Kraft made a throwing error.
Palmer induced back-to-back fly outs to right field. He was at 116 pitches with leadoff hitter Gus Pankratz due up.
Two pitches later, Pankratz drove one to deep center field. Alex Hammond turned around, raced back and — almost unbelievably — came up with a Superman grab.
“You saw one earlier in the year that made the news. I think that one might have been better,” Luehring said. “He got a good read on it, and thank goodness the wind was kind of blowing in a little bit.”
Palmer said he was pretty sure Hammond had it, but he had to watch Hammond get back up first to make sure.
“In my opinion, he could have got there faster,” Palmer said with a laugh. “But it was still an amazing catch. He’s made a couple like that this year, and he’s incredible in the outfield. … It looked like it went in his glove, but you never know when he hits the ground. … I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, he caught it.’ It was awesome.”
With the win, the Firebirds advanced to a state qualifier Saturday, scheduled to be played at 11 a.m. at Jack Williams Stadium. They will face No. 5 seed West Fargo Sheyenne.
“They’re a really well-coached team, and they’re a pretty deep lineup. And they’re playing really, really well right now. That’s gonna be a challenge for us tomorrow,” Luehring said. “We feel good. We’ve got three guys we can go with, and hopefully mix and match. We’ve just got to show up and hit the ball and let the chips fall where they may.”
Heilman and Brodina are yet to pitch in this tournament for Devils Lake.
The Mustangs recently took a blow with top pitcher Hudson Dinger going down with a UCL injury. He’s still hitting for Sheyenne.
“I’m excited,” Palmer said. “We’ve got a chance to go to state. We’re gonna have to play hard because they’re a really good team, but I think we can do it.”
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