Ben Larson (Photo by Noah Clooten)
WEST FARGO — When Parker Brodina struck a double with two outs in the seventh inning, it looked like the Firebirds might finally break through.
Ben Larson, following six lockdown innings on the mound, kept the line moving at the plate. Devils Lake trailed 1-0, the go-ahead runs in scoring position. Leadoff hitter Max Palmer hit one on the screws — but, as Trason Beck did the previous inning, he hit it right at the second baseman.
And the game ended, despite the Firebirds showing some sparks over the final few innings.
“We gave ourselves an opportunity,” Devils Lake head coach Brent Luehring said. “It was just a really good baseball game.”
No. 6-seeded Devils Lake (11-10) lost 1-0 to No. 3-seeded Fargo South (16-10) in its EDC tournament opener. Nearly a week had passed since the Firebirds’ last game, with the “new season” starting Thursday at Young Field in West Fargo. But not much changed for Devils Lake, which continued a season-long trend of low-scoring affairs.
The Firebirds had exactly one baserunner in each of the first six innings. They had two in the seventh. But they never had one cross home.
“It just seemed like we were one hit away again,” Luehring said. “Kind of been our story, some of the year, here. It’s just, you’re waiting on that one hit.”
It was, however, only the second time the Firebirds have been shut out this year, the other coming against No. 1-seeded Fargo Davies on April 11. They stayed competitive thanks to another stellar pitching performance by Larson, along with some sparkling defensive plays by sophomores Will Heilman and Easton Kraft.
“It’s nice to see a couple young kids in a big moment make good plays for us,” Luehring said of Heilman and Kraft’s web gems. “It was awesome. Kept us in the game. It basically killed rallies for them.”
Caden Nelson, the right-hander on the bump for South, gave the Firebirds a free pass in each of the first three innings, including two hit batsmen. But the Firebirds couldn’t take advantage. They had no hits through the first three innings. They were also victims of a “strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out” double play in the second.
“Give the kid credit; he was kind of effectively wild,” Luehring said of Nelson. “Those are tough guys to hit against. You just never know where it’s gonna be. We struggled early in the game. He has a lot of two-seam action in on the hands… We just weren’t comfortable with it.”
Larson traded zeroes with Nelson for the first four innings. In the first, he induced three outfield flyouts to work around a two-out walk. Fausten Olson made his presence in center field known right away with a sliding catch that drew applause from the devoted Devils Lake faithful.
With two outs in the bottom of the second, Larson surrendered the first hit of the game for either team. He issued a two-out walk, but got out of the jam after a quick pep talk from his catcher, Beck.
Kraft, who’s played more on JV than varsity this season, made a slick bare-handed play to end the third inning. He helped Larson get around another hit, keeping it knotted at zeroes after three full innings.
The first Devils Lake hit came with two outs in the fourth. It was a popup by Beck, which fortunately dropped in no-man’s land. Behind him, Kraft hit a ball decently to right, but it was caught as the Firebirds put another zero on the board.
Then, in the bottom of the fourth, Larson faced the diciest situation for either pitcher thus far. The Bruins tacked together two hits, including a lucky dinker through the left side. Ethan Doll laid down a sac bunt, which Larson fielded. He did a quick check of third and second before finally throwing to first — only barely in time to get the out.
Then he had two runners in scoring position to contend with. But he made it out alive, getting a lineout to right fielder Taydon Triepke to end the frame. It was already the fifth putout of the game for Triepke, who was the 10th man while Kraft replaced his bat in the lineup.
Larson had the first well-hit base knock of the game for Devils Lake. He lined a single with two outs in the fifth. But he was left on base, the Firebirds still struggling to get any kind of rally going.
Eventually, their lack of offense caught up to them. Larson surrendered two straight singles to start the bottom of the fifth, and a key throwing error by Triepke moved the runners into scoring position.
Devils Lake opted to intentionally walk Nelson, loading the bases with nobody out. Larson did all he could to get out of the inning: He induced a ground ball to shortstop Mason Palmer, who got the force at the plate. Larson then produced a shallow fly ball to Olson in center. But Olson’s throw was up the line, and the Bruins ran home with the first run of the game to make it 1-0 through five.
Larson gave the Firebirds exactly what they were looking for in that situation.
“For them to only come out with one with the bases loaded that inning, it just shows that when you hit your spots and do things right, you can wiggle and limit the damage,” Luehring said. “I’m really proud of him.”
The Devils Lake offense followed with its biggest jolt yet: a one-out double in the sixth by Mason Palmer.
Hunter Remmick, the Firebirds’ best hitter this year, worked a 3-2 count but took a called third strike on the inside corner for the second out. That left it for perhaps Devils Lake’s most clutch hitter, Beck, who worked out of an 0-2 hole to work the count even. But he lined one right at the second baseman to strand Palmer on second.
It was a huge missed opportunity for the Firebirds.
Larson stayed in the game and threw a scoreless sixth, with Heilman likely saving a run in left field. The sophomore jumped and made a full-extension catch on a ball hit hard down the line. Despite still having a zero on the scoreboard, the Firebirds had some pep to their step.
Heilman took a good at-bat in the final frame, but he was caught looking for the second out.
Brodina, with the Firebirds down to their final out, had one of the best-hit balls of the night with a double to right-center. Once again, the tying run was in scoring position. Larson refused to back down, drawing a walk on a full count. He promptly stole second.
“I actually thought [Parker’s ball] had a chance [to go out],” Luehring said. “I told Ben, ‘They’re not gonna throw you out because they don’t want anything coming home.’”
South held a mound meeting with Nelson at 98 pitches. The tall sophomore stayed in.
Max Palmer pounced on one, but it was a line drive right to into the second baseman’s mitt to end the game.
“We just couldn’t catch a break,” Luehring said.
Devils Lake totaled four hits against Nelson — one in each of the final four frames — along with two walks and two hit batsmen. Nelson struck out five in his seven innings of work.
Larson’s nearly-as-good outing was spoiled. He allowed one run on seven hits and three walks.
“Him and I have been together for three, four years now; he knows how I’m gonna call a game for him, and he executes the best he can execute,” Luehring said of Larson. “He’s gonna scatter hits all game long and pitch around things and control the tempo. And he did a great job.”
The loss moved Devils Lake to the losers’ bracket of the tournament. No. 7-seeded West Fargo Sheyenne upset No. 2-seeded West Fargo Horace, so Devils Lake will face Horace at 1 p.m. Friday at Young Field.
A win, and the Firebirds will play a state qualifier game on Saturday. A loss, and their spring season is over.
