Simon Beach, Mason Palmer
Familiar state, familiar result.
After going 1-3 in the Dakota Classic in Renner, South Dakota, the Devils Lake American Legion A team got back to North Dakota on Wednesday. The Storm played a make-up game with West Fargo on the road and won a tight 5-4 ballgame.
That makes Devils Lake 9-3 overall, and 6-0 in conference games. The Storm are in first place in the Class A East — and their opponents on Wednesday, the Aces, are in second place at 10-3 (5-2).
The team importantly got Parker and Beau Brodina back, two of its best players, after they missed the last week of games.
The Storm had to battle, though, after falling behind 3-0 in the first inning. It was reminiscent of some of the gutsy wins they pulled off during the spring season. P. Brodina started on the mound and allowed a three-spot right away, with three walks and two hits. One of the walks came with the bases loaded. Shortstop Mason Palmer also committed an error amidst the rally.
But they struck right back with two in the bottom of the first. Max and Mason Palmer recorded back-to-back hits, including a double from Mason that put them both in scoring position. The two-spot in the order is unfamiliar for Max Palmer, but he had a solid showing out of the leadoff spot in Renner.
Both Palmers scored on an error by West Fargo’s shortstop. And it was a 3-2 game after an inning.
P. Brodina immediately found himself in trouble again in the second inning, with the bases loaded and nobody out. But as Brent Luehring has constantly said about him, he competed despite not being at his best. He limited the Aces to just one run in that inning on a sacrifice fly.
After throwing a scoreless third, Brodina’s day on the mound came to an end. He allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks while striking out three. It wasn’t his greatest showing, though it was still valuable for the team to get him back on the mound after some time off.
Simon Beach came up huge in relief. After taking over for Brodina, he pitched the next three innings without allowing a run. He only allowed two hits and didn’t walk anybody. His outing was enormous in keeping Devils Lake in the game.
The Storm offense chipped away with a two-out RBI single in the fifth, as Mason Palmer drove in B. Brodina. It cut the deficit to 4-3.
And they went right back to work in the sixth, with time running out on making this comeback. Trason Beck and Will Heilman started the inning with a pair of infield singles, including a bunt hit from Heilman. Beck scored on a sacrifice fly from P. Brodina, tying the game at four apiece. Then Hunter Remmick cashed in with a go-ahead RBI single, giving Devils Lake the 5-4 lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Cleanup hitter Jackson Baeth came in to pitch the final frame. He had a typically strong one-inning performance, striking out two as he shut the door.
The Devils Lake team finally gets to rest for a little bit now after traveling through both Dakotas, Iowa and Nebraska over the last week or so. The Storm’s next action is on Tuesday at home, with a doubleheader against the Casselton Haymakers.
