Left to right: Karsen Simon, Dane Hagler, Parker Simon (Photo via Karsen Simon on Facebook)
RUGBY — Parker and Karsen Simon are back.
After finishing their freshman year for Lake Region State College baseball, the twin pair are exercising their final year of American Legion eligibility. They each drove in a run in the first inning of Cando Post 79’s summer opener on Thursday, eventually leading the Bearcats (1-1, 1-0) to a 12-1 thumping of Rugby Post 23 (1-1, 0-1).
“They just kind of bring another fun little aspect, atmosphere, back to the team,” Cando head coach Jesse Vote said of the Simons. “They’ve got that experience. They know what’s right, what’s wrong. They can kind of lead this young crew out in the field on defense, and just be vocal and teach the kids along the way.”
Every spot in the Cando order reached base. Parker went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while Karsen went 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a walk. Hunter Hagler went 2-for-3 with a walk. Brody Svir did his part on the mound, pitching five innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts.
“It was nice to see even some of our high school kids that played on our high school team swing the bat a little bit,” Vote said. “And then obviously, Parker and Karsen coming back with some power in the lineup. If we get the lineup right, we’re gonna be tough.”
Cando, which had a solid high school season despite losing a ton of seniors from last year — including the Simons — has a slightly bolstered roster this summer. Along with the Simons, the Bearcats add Devils Lake High School alum Gauge Driessen to their roster. Driessen worked his way back from a ski accident last year and played for Devils Lake in the EDC this spring. He’ll have an increased role on this Cando team.
“I’ve known the kid for a couple days,” Vote said. “Fun kid to have along. He’s positive, and the kids have been welcoming to him. I think he’s enjoying where he’s at.”
Dane Hagler, the Simons’ LRSC teammate, is too old for Legion ball but was also with the team on Thursday as an assistant coach. He graduated in the same class as the Simons. It was almost like old times for these guys.
“It’s pretty cool that he’s still around with us,” P. Simon said. “And it’s always a confidence boost, too, because he’s always watching us and helping us change our at-bats, and on the mound, too. So it’s another great perspective to have.”
Hagler was the third-base coach and visited the mound on pitching changes.
“Hopefully there’s some sort of a coaching career ahead for him, and we’ll just try to get his feet wet a little bit,” Vote said. “And you never know what happens after that. Hopefully it’s something that he likes, and he can take the reins.”
Dane’s younger brother Hunter, an all-state baseball player this spring, got Cando started with a leadoff single in the first inning. P. Simon drove him in with a sacrifice fly, and K. Simon added an RBI double to right field. It was 2-0 after an inning.
“I love it. Me and Karsen are leaders now,” P. Simon said. “We had all the other seniors last year to help us out, but yeah, me and Karsen have kind of gotta take charge here. And I think that they look up to us a lot.”
Svir joined the party in the second inning. After pitching a perfect opening frame with two strikeouts, he smacked a double to center field to score Alec Peyerl and Hagler. P. Simon added a double, so each Simon had a two-base hit. His brother, though, got under one to right field and stranded P. Simon on second. So the Bearcats had to settle for a 4-0 lead in the second.
The Simons actually pitched more than they hit for LRSC this spring. After going up against college competition, they’ll get a reminder this summer of what the high school level is like.
“It’s a change,” P. Simon said. “But, I mean, you’ve gotta play to our level that we know we can play to.”
Svir gave up a couple hard-hit balls in the bottom of the second, including a double by pitcher Tucker Volk. But he limited the damage to one run with two more strikeouts in the frame.
For Cando in the top of the third, Kole Thomson lined a leadoff double into the left-field corner. He scored on a pair of wild pitches.
Sean Freund reached on a dropped third strike, then Driessen and Peyerl each drew a walk to load the bases. But Svir flew into a double play to stop the damage there, Cando still leading 5-1.
Svir collected his fifth strikeout in a scoreless third.
The Simons each got on base again in the fourth to set the table. Three runs scored on two throwing errors and and an RBI single by Freund. Volk threw his mitt as he departed to the dugout after 3 2/3 innings — thought it wasn’t entirely his fault, with poor throws by Rugby’s third baseman and catcher.
Hagler drew an RBI walk, and Svir hit a ground ball off the second baseman’s mitt, to drive in two more. Rugby continued to play sloppily, throwing a ball away to make it 11-1. It was a six-run inning on just two hits to bring the run rule into effect.
The Bearcats added one more in the fifth on yet another Rugby error. Driessen grounded out to third with a runner on second, but the Panthers threw it away trying to get an out at third base.
Svir allowed just a walk in each of the final three frames. He comfortably finished off the run-rule, 11-run victory. The only two hits he allowed came in the second. He worked around four total walks on the evening.
“It’s been a little while since he’s had a really good outing,” Vote said. “At this level, you just need to throw strikes, especially with our defense behind us. Let them beat us with their bats. Really good outing from him; we’re gonna need him for some depth as the season gets going.”
The Bearcats lost the five-inning nightcap 14-8. They surrendered five runs in the first and six in the second on a series of walks and wild pitches. Peyerl threw the first inning, while Thomson ate up most of the work with 1 2/3 innings.
Cando got three back in the top of the fifth on a pair of RBI groundouts and an RBI single by Levi Borstad. But it dropped the contest there.
Still, the Bearcats won the one that mattered and started their season on a positive note.
“I was excited to be back here with the younger fellas, and I think that hits are really contagious right now,” P. Simon said. “So as long as we keep putting the ball in play, and make them make plays, good things are always gonna happen from that.”
