The Devils Lake Legion A team increased its winning streak to nine on Wednesday.
The Storm took two games on the road against Mayville/Portland Posts 8 and 93. The scores were 5-4 and 9-0, giving Devils Lake (22-7) two more wins ahead of Friday’s regular season finale against Park River Post 147.
Being that it was non-region play, the lineup for both games looked a little funky. The first game had Will Heilman DH’ing and leading off, with Brody Rainsberry batting second, Ben Larson third and Cayden McCarthy cleanup. Max Palmer was down in the five-hole.
Lakin Ronningen started on the mound. He only allowed one hit in two innings, but he struggled throwing strikes, with just 15 out of his 43 pitches. He issued a pair of bases-loaded walks in the first inning, putting Devils Lake in a 2-0 hole. Ronningen picked off a runner at first base to get through a scoreless second.
But Palmer took over and held the fort for the next four innings. After Devils Lake tied the game in the top of the second — on a sacrifice fly by Alex Hammond and an RBI double by Heilman — Palmer threw three consecutive scoreless frames.
Devils Lake scored one run in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to take a 5-2 lead. Heilman had a go-ahead RBI single, while Ben Brodina scored on an error and Rainsberry added a two-out RBI triple in the sixth.
Palmer, back out for his fourth inning of work, surrendered a leadoff double in the bottom of the sixth. Mayville/Portland scratched out two runs on an error by third baseman Tayven Wiberg, who typically plays second base or corner outfield, and a two-out single.
Altogether, Palmer allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits in four innings. He didn’t record any strikeouts, but he also didn’t issue any walks.
Devils Lake’s lead was a slim 5-4 going to the seventh.
Taydon Triepke closed it out, striking out two batters in a perfect frame. It took him only 11 pitches, with eight strikes.
The second game was more luxurious, a 9-0 victory in five innings. The lineup had Rainsberry leading off and playing third base this time.
The big takeaway from Game 2 was a positive injury update on Hunter Remmick, who threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings. He struck out five, allowing only three hits and one walk. He threw 66 pitches (38 strikes).
With Mason Palmer also working back to full strength recently, this was another positive development for the Storm as they look to shore up their pitching heading into the region tournament.
The Devils Lake offense put the game away with four runs in the first inning and three in the second. Mason Palmer and Wiberg, each of whom went 3-for-3 with a triple, had RBI hits in both innings.
Remmick went 1-for-2 with an RBI double in a two-run fourth.
Alex Hammond also went 1-for-2 with a walk and two RBIs.
Every Storm starter reached base, with eight of the nine getting a hit. The team totaled 12 hits in 24 at-bats.
To cap it all off, Olson — not usually a pitcher — recorded the final out on the mound. Remmick had been in the game with a 2-0 count when Brodina caught a runner stealing from behind the plate. Olson came in and threw the third ball, but then got a called strike, a foul ball and two swinging strikes to complete the shutout.
Devils Lake concludes its regular season with a home doubleheader at 5:30 p.m. Friday against Park River Post 147, needing to win at least one game to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Class A East.