DEVILS LAKE, N.D. – The Devils Lake Storm A 18U (13-6) faced off against the Kindred Vikings (9-10) in a Class A Legion baseball doubleheader on Tuesday, June 30, at DLYA Field. The Storm won the first game 4-2 thanks in part to strong pitching from Will Heilman and the team took the second game 9-2 after a dominant sixth inning.
Game 1 began with scoreless first and second innings, as both teams kept each other’s offenses in check. Devils Lake got on the board in the bottom of the third after Mason Palmer’s single to right field drove Tayven Wiberg into home plate for the first run of the game.
In the top of the fourth, Jeremy Knight hit a double deep into left field to drive in Kindred’s first run of the game, tying it 1-1. The Storm pulled ahead in the bottom of the fourth, aided by Fausten Olson’s sacrifice bunt and Tayven Wiberg’s single to left field for a 3-1 score. They added another in the bottom of the fifth, with Will Heilman’s reach on an error driving in Mason Palmer for the run.
After a scoreless sixth inning, Tyler Gronwold singled on a pop fly to drive in a run for the Vikings in the top of the seventh, but it wasn’t enough as Devils Lake won 4-2.
Will Heilman had a strong day on the mound for Devils Lake. The starting pitcher gave up five hits and one run over six innings, striking out six and walking one. Maximilian Bernier took the loss for Kindred, allowing four runs on nine hits, striking out three and walking one.
The Storm struck first to start the second game, with ground outs by Max Palmer and Will Heilman driving in one run each in the bottom of the first. The next two innings were empty for both teams, as neither were able to get near home plate. In the bottom of the fourth, Mason Palmer hit a sacrifice fly to left field, driving in a run for a 3-0 score.
Kindred tallied their first run of the game in the top of the fifth when Graham Hesse scored off Gabe Iverson’s ground out to third base. In the bottom of the fifth, Will Heilman slammed a fence-hitting double to left field, but was unable to score after two more outs ended the inning.
In the top of the sixth, the Vikings scored one run after Maximillian Bernier singled on a line drive to center field, bringing the score to 3-2. The Storm increased their lead with a high-scoring bottom of the sixth. Will Heilman hit a single to center field to drive in two runs, two errors by the Kindred infield drove in two more, and two walks drove in another two, ultimately winning 9-2.
Tayven Wiberg pitched the entire second game for Devils Lake, giving up five hits and two runs over seven innings, striking out eight and walking three. Carter Gronwold started for Kindred, going for over five innings, allowing nine runs (six earned) on nine hits, striking out three and walking six.
Devils Lake head coach Eric Nygaard was impressed by Heilman and Wiberg’s pitching. “I think I’m pleased with both performances on the pitching part of it,” he said. “Both of them just gave us a great opportunity to win games, and offensively we just did enough to win both of them.” Nygaard also complimented Kindred’s pitching, saying they “kept us off balance.”
The Devils Lake Storm A 18U continue action on Wednesday, July 1, in an away doubleheader against the West Fargo Aces (18-6).