DEVILS LAKE — The Devils Lake Storm A 18U (2-2, 1-1) faced off at home against the West Fargo Vets (1-3, 1-1) in a doubleheader on Thursday evening, June 4 at DLYA Field. The Storm lost the first game 8-6, but were able to strike back in the second game, forcing a run rule in the sixth inning with a score of 18-8.
In the first game, the Vets struck first with Kaisen Nordick’s solo home run to center field off Ben Larson’s first pitch. The Storm tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first due to an error committed by the Vets. After a scoreless second inning, a triple by Toby Retterath in the top of the third gave Vets the lead, 2-1. West Fargo pulled ahead further with three runs in the fourth inning, and Devils Lake scored one more to create a 5-2 score.
The fifth and sixth innings were fruitless for both teams, but the action heated up in the seventh inning. The Vets added three runs in the top of the inning, but the Storm attempted a comeback with four runs that ultimately failed, losing 8-6.
Ben Larson pitched the first six innings for Devils Lake, striking out seven and allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits. Will Heilman filled in for the seventh, with one strikeout and giving up three runs on three hits, with one strikeout. Gavin Bjur pitched all seven innings for West Fargo, giving up 10 hits and six runs (five earned) on nine hits, with seven strikeouts and two walks.
In the second game, Nordick hit his second homer of the night, a solo to left field. Ethan Wilke, Logan Kiefer and Dylan Bahr also drove in one run each to give the Vets a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. The Storm thundered back in the bottom of the first, scoring six runs, which included a double by Brody Rainsberry that drove in two runs. Devils Lake doubled its total in the second inning, with four of those from Ben Brodina’s grand slam to left field, bringing the score to 12-4. The game concluded in the bottom of the sixth inning due to the run rule, with the Storm winning 18-8.
Hunter Remmick started for Devils Lake, giving up eight runs (three earned) on eight hits in his four innings, with six strikeouts and four walks. West Fargo cycled through six pitchers, starting Lukas Grensteiner and ending with Chase Johnson. None of the Vets’ six pitchers stayed on the mound for two full innings.
After the games, Devils Lake assistant coach Eric Nygaard said about the team’s strategy, “Our approach in the second game was, if it’s not my pitch, I’m not going to swing at it. So that approach definitely reflected on the scoreboard.”
The Storm A team will take the next week off, with their next game vs. the Dakota Valley Panthers on Friday, June 12.
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