Simon Beach (Photo by Noah Clooten)
DEVILS LAKE — Parker Simon issued a walk in the third inning, putting two runners on in the second game of Monday’s doubleheader.
Lake Region State College head coach Steve Anderson went out to the mound for an impromptu chat.
“He told me I had a cold Dr. Pepper waiting in the dugout after I got through that,” Simon said, explaining that Dr. Pepper is the unofficial team drink.
Anderson said his message to Simon was simple. He told the freshman from Hampden, North Dakota, to stay within himself and not overthrow.
“I asked him what was for dinner later,” Anderson said. “Just kind of take his mind off the current situation, and settle back in and get after it.”
Simon wiggled his way out of it, going on to pitch a complete-game shutout with just one hit allowed. It was the second complete game of the day for LRSC in an all-around successful day at the ballyard.
And so the Royals (11-24, 8-12) extended their winning streak to four with a doubleheader sweep of Dakota College at Bottineau (15-23, 3-15) at DLYA Field on Monday. Devils Lake alum Simon Beach and North Star alum P. Simon each gave a complete-game effort, with Bottineau’s only runs coming in the very first inning of the day. LRSC won 5-2 and 5-0.
“We’ve been real close to starting a couple streaks this year, and it’s nice to finally get one rolling,” Anderson said. “Simon Beach and Parker Simon both came out, and anytime your starters can go the whole game and keep the run total low or non-existent is huge. It saves the bullpen, and the guys rally around those types of performances. And also being local guys, it’s awesome to have them here for home games and really lock it down like that.”
Game 1: LRSC 5, Bottineau 2
Beach drew back memories of last summer’s dominant Legion season with a seven-inning effort. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits, one walk and one hit batter while striking out three in seven innings. He threw 93 pitches, 59 of which were strikes.
“I love his moxie and his presence on the mound,” Anderson said. “It could be the worst-case outcome in an at-bat… And he’s right back into the next at-bat. Doesn’t even remember the last one happening. And that kind of composure on the mound is huge.”
The Jacks struck first with two in the first inning against Beach. Kaeden Wilcox smacked a solo shot, and a throwing error by catcher Logan Dearborn led to another run on a second-straight single to make it 2-0.
Lucas Lyons led off with a walk for the Royals. Tyler Kleinjan was caught trying to steal second, thwarting a potential rally. But LRSC was back in business in the second, loading the bases on back-to-back walks by Brayden Ehnert and Jamison Nelson and a dropped fly ball by the left fielder.
Dearborn hit into an RBI fielder’s choice to get the Royals on the board. Nine-hole hitter Leif Sigurdson then lined the team’s first base hit of the game — scoring Nelson to tie it up. Behind him was Beau Brodina, courtesy-running for Dearborn, who was cut down at the plate on a questionable call where he appeared to avoid the tag.
In any case, it was a 2-2 game after two. Sigurdson had been just 2-for-29 on the season before his clutch hit.
Beach started to settle in, working around a two-out hit batter in the second and throwing a 1-2-3 third inning with his second strikeout. The Devils Lake native filled the zone and induced weak contact from the Jacks. He went on to retire 12 in a row.
“You’ve just gotta locate,” Beach said. “And you can’t be afraid to throw your offspeed in any count. I mean, it really just comes down to locating.”
Lyons once again set the table at the top of the order for LRSC in the bottom of the third. He singled and stole second, then scored on Hugh Montgomery’s RBI groundout to squeak the Royals ahead 3-2.
It was a similar deal in the fifth, with Lyons practically creating a run all by himself. He beat out an infield single, then stole second and advanced to third on a groundout. With Dane Hagler batting, Lyons came home on a passed ball despite Hagler appearing to give him the stop sign. The Jacks’ catcher nearly recovered in time to throw him out, but Lyons cleverly maneuvered the tag. The call at the plate went in LRSC’s favor this time.
“He’s an awesome baseball player,” Anderson said of Lyons. “He’s a good, aggressive baserunner that can steal second and he can steal third. He can hit for contact, but also has a lot of pop in the bat. If the bottom of the order finds their way up and they’re on, I know he’s gonna drive them in.”
Hagler ended up walking, then added a stolen base of his own. Montgomery hit an RBI single to score Hagler and extend the Royals’ advantage to 5-2. LRSC’s third stolen base attempt of the inning was unsuccessful — but its aggressiveness was certainly a net positive.
“We’re all about creating chaos,” Anderson said. “And sometimes it might burn us a little bit, but we always want to jump back into the fire.”
Beach issued his first walk of the game with two outs in the sixth to end his streak of 12 straight retired. He quickly induced a lineout to the center fielder, Montgomery, to finish the frame.
The seventh inning brought little stress for Beach, who worked both sides of the plate and collected his third strikeout. He pitched a perfect inning to cap his second complete game of the season.
Beach didn’t allow a hit after the first inning.
“The train’s finally on the tracks,” Beach said. “And things are starting to click the way we want them to click.”
Game 2: LRSC 5, Bottineau 0
P. Simon struck out seven, walked three and allowed just a lone hit in a seven-inning shutout.
“I’ve been trying to grind for a starting position all year,” Simon said. “And I feel like it’s starting to come around at the right time.”
He survived a leadoff walk in the first, helped out by the left fielder, Brodina, who threw out a runner trying to stretch from first to third on a single.
In the bottom half, LRSC took the lead on another Lyons-manufactured run. He was hit by a pitch, stole second, then moved to third on a groundout. He once again scored while Hagler was batting, this time on a wild pitch.
Simon mowed down the Jacks 1-2-3 with two strikeouts in the second. With one out in the third, he started to unravel a little bit after a check swing call didn’t go his way. He left a fastball middle-middle, swatted over Brodina’s head for a double. He then issued a 3-2 walk, prompting Anderson’s mound visit.
Simon kept his composure. He made a heads-up play on a bunt, firing to third to get the lead runner. He ended the inning with an easy groundout to first base, stranding two and keeping LRSC ahead 1-0.
He immediately faced more traffic in the fourth. Back-to-back hit batters put two runners on. With one out, Dearborn whipped one down to first base and picked the runner off. Simon issued a walk to put a second runner back on, but he got out of it with a force out at third.
The Royals’ offense got nothing more than a walk in each of the second and third innings. But singles from Jamison Nelson and Dearborn put two on for Brodina, who tapped a bunt single. The pitcher overthrew it into right field, allowing both runners to score on the error. The Royals got some extra breathing room for Simon, working with a 3-0 lead.
Simon responded nicely. He set down the next six batters, striking out three to give him six punchouts on the afternoon. He utilized a firm fastball and sharp 12-6 breaker.
Montgomery also reeled in some balls for him out in center.
“He’s a dog,” Simon said. “Any ball that’s up in the air, he’s gonna go get it. And if he lays out and misses it, that’s fine. I know he’s gonna get out there and he’s gonna make the next play.”
Lyons doubled in the fifth but was picked off at third base. The Royals added a couple of insurance runs, anyway, in the sixth: After loading the bases, a run scored on an errant throw home on a grounder, and Brodina drove in another with an RBI sacrifice bunt.
“If you get us once, good on you,” Anderson said. “But try and do it again. And keep creating pressure. That really gets in the head of the opponents.”
Simon went back out with a 5-0 lead and set down the Jacks in order. He ultimately retired the final 10 batters of the game as LRSC cruised to victory.
“We’ve been talking all year about getting hot at the right time and playing our best baseball the first weekend in May for playoffs,” Anderson said. “And now we’re just under two weeks away from that, and we’re starting to get things rolling. And so this is awesome. The forecast is bright. We’re a train that’s developing a full head of steam. And ‘look out’ to whoever has to play us here in a couple weeks.”
The Royals travel to Jamestown to face Jamestown JV at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
