DEVILS LAKE — The Devils Lake Storm A team (15-7) faced off against the Grand Forks Post 6 Royals (12-12) in a Legion baseball doubleheader on Monday, July 6, at DLYA Field. The Storm slugged their way through the first game 18-10, aided by Mason Palmer’s three home runs, and shut them down in the second game with a dominant 15-3 showing.
In the first game, Devils Lake got the ball rolling in the bottom of the first. Will Heilman hit a deep double into center field to drive in two runs, Hunter Remmick also hit a deep center-field double to drive in another and Cayden McCarthy hit a double to left field to drive in two more for a 5-0 start to the game. Grand Forks got on the board in the top of the second with a solo home run to left field by Zander Waind.
The slugfest ramped up in the bottom of the second. Palmer hit a solo home run to left field, a single by Remmick drove in a run and another home run to left field by Ben Larson drove in two, increasing the score to 9-1. The Royals added three runs in the top of the third off of Ryne Richau’s home run to center field. Mason Palmer hit his second home run in the bottom of the third, driving in three runs for a 12-4 lead.
In the top of the fourth, Riland Korynta singled on a ground ball to center field, driving in two runs. Waind hit his second home run of the game in the top of the fifth, driving in two more runs, and Layton Pribula grounded out to drive in another, decreasing Devils Lake’s lead even further with a 12-9 score. In the bottom of the fifth, Palmer hit a double to drive in two runs, Remmick grounded out to drive in one and Laken Ronningen singled to left field to drive in another for a 16-9 score.
Palmer hit his third home run in the bottom of the sixth, and Brody Rainsberry grounded into a fielder’s choice to add another, increasing the lead to 18-9. Grand Forks added one more run in the top of the seventh, but Devils Lake took the win 18-10.
Remmick earned the win for the Storm, surrendering four hits and four runs over three innings, striking out two and walking two. McCarthy and Max Palmer appeared in relief. Gabe Schauer took the loss for the Royals, allowing 14 runs on 12 hits, striking out one and walking five.
Mason Palmer had a lot to say about his incredible night. “It was really fun,” he said. “Everything felt good. I felt like I could get to any pitch and could just hit it really hard.” He also credited the players’ effort in the gym. “Their bat speed increases and they catch a barrel, it’s gonna go.”
In the second game, Grand Forks got on the board in the top of the first after Alex Seaver hit a line drive to center field, driving in two runs. In the bottom of the first, Mason Palmer hit a double to center field to drive in a run, and Remmick hit a single to right field to drive in another, tying the game at two.
After a scoreless second inning, the Storm took the lead 7-2 in the bottom of the third after Mason Palmer stole home on an error, Landon Sundeen and Taydon Triepke hit singles and Alex Hammond was walked to drive in five runs in the inning. In the bottom of the fourth, singles by Ronningen, Sundeen and Ben Larson, a double by Hammond and a missed catch in left field resulted in seven runs to create a 15-2 score. Grand Forks added one more run in the top of the fifth, and Devils Lake took the win 15-3 via run rule.
Rainsberry started on the mound for Devils Lake, giving up five hits and two runs over three innings, striking out five and walking two. Mason Palmer and Triepke pitched one inning each in relief. Austin Allery took the loss for Grand Forks, going for three innings and surrendering 13 runs (12 earned) on 11 hits, striking out none and walking six.
When asked about the inning he pitched, Palmer noted his previous elbow pain and that an MRI confirmed that nothing was torn. “This was just to get me back into the swing of things, you know, and try to work my way up to where I was.”
Devils Lake head coach Eric Nygaard said Monday’s doubleheader was impressive. “We swung it well today and hit it where they weren’t,” he said. “It was fun to see them play, just to swing the bats, find the barrels, and hit good pitches, and you know it was good. It was fun.”
The Devils Lake Storm A team will hit the road against Parkston Sr. Legion Post 194 for its next game in Clark, S.D., on Friday, July 10.