June 16, 2015

Walleye open season with pair of wins over Sidney

By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor

The Watford City Walleye got off to a great start to their 2015 American Legion baseball season posting a pair of wins over Sidney on Tuesday, June 9. But the Walleye didn’t fare as well in their action as Watford City dropped a pair of games to Velva and then lost to the Minot Vistas.
This week, the Walleye will host Beulah on Wednesday before competing in the Williston Tournament on June 19-21 and will then host Makoti on June 23.

Walleye 7, Sidney 2
Walleye 8, Sidney 7

Keegan Thompson only had two hits as the Walleye opened their home season last Tuesday in double-head action against Sidney. But those two hits were huge as Thompson belted two pitches out of the ball park for solo home runs.
Thompson’s first home run came at his first plate appearance in the first inning, with his second homer clearing the fence in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Watford City’s bats were hot in their opening action as the Walleye scored seven runs on 10 hits.
Watford City led Sidney, 2-0, after one inning of play with neither team scoring again until the fourth inning.
Sidney would narrow the Walleye’s lead to 2-1 in the top of the fourth. But Watford City would answer back scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning as Andrew Sampsel and Brandon Roth crossed the plate to put the Walleye on top, 4-1.
The Walleye would tack on two more runs in the fifth inning with Thompson’s solo homer in the sixth inning wrapping up Watford City’s scoring.
Sampsel had a great outing on the mound for Watford City as he gave up just five hits and two walks, while striking out 11 batters to earn the win.
Jackson Voll and Thompson led the Walleye with two RBIs each.
In the second game of the day, the Walleye held off a late charge by Sidney to take a 8-7 win.
Watford City jumped out to a quick, 2-0, lead in the bottom of the first inning and then added five runs in the bottom of the third inning to hold a 7-0 lead before Sidney began their rally.
Andrew Sampsel began the five-run slugfest in the bottom of the third inning for the Walleye with a solo homer before Cody Johnson, Devyn Marquardt, Heath Chaffin and Bo Cook all crossed the plate to cap off the scoring.
Sampsel was three for three at the plate with five RBIs for Watford City.
Keegan Thompson picked up the win on the mound for the Walleye as he allowed 11 hits, while striking out six batters in five and a third innings of work. Preston Milstead earned the save as he struck out four batters while giving up just one hit in the final one and two-thirds innings.
“We did a nice job against Sidney,” stated Pat Spacher, Walleye head coach. “We pitched well and did a nice job at the plate. But we have to do a better job of fielding the ball.”
Game 1                                                             R    H    E
Sidney                    0    0    0    1    0    0    1    2    5    0
Watford City          2    0    0    2    2    1    x    7    10    2
Game 2                                                               R    H    E
Sidney                    0    0    2    1    4    0    1    7    12    0
Watford City           2    0    5    0    1    0    x    8    8    3

Velva 10, Walleye 0
Velva 15, Walleye 5

The Walleye dropped a pair of games to Velva on June 12. Velva took the first game, 10-0, and the second game, 15-5.
The Walleye only mustered four hits in the game with Keegan Thompson hitting two singles in three trips to the plate.
Preston Milstead took the loss in the first game as he gave up nine hits, walked three and struck out three for the Walleye.
In the second game, Watford City’s offense was better, but still not good enough to handle Velva.
Velva jumped out to a 6-0 lead after the first inning with the Walleye trailing Velva, 6-3, after two innings.
Velva would score three more runs in the third inning and four runs in the fourth inning before Andrew Sampsel would score two RBIs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a two-run home run to end the Walleye’s scoring.
Brandon Roth took the loss on the mound for the Walleye.
Game 1                                                      R    H    E
Watford City                0    0    0    0    0    0    4    0
Velva                            1    5    0    2    2    9    10    0
Game 2                                                 R    H    E
Watford City                 0    3    0    2    5    5    0
Velva                             6    2    3    4    15    8    0

Minot 15, Walleye 1
Minot 10, Walleye 0

Minot made short work of the Walleye on June 13 as the Vistas swept the Walleye, 15-1 and 10-0, in double-head action.
In the first game, the Vistas jumped out to a 6-0 first inning lead with Watford City scoring its only run in the bottom of the third inning on a double by David Kline that scored Keegan Thompson.
The Vista would score their final seven runs of the game in the fourth inning.
David Kline took the loss on the mound for the Walleye.
In the second game, the Walleye only had one hit in the 10-0 loss to the Vistas.
Game 1                                                      R    H    E
Minot                                6    1    1    7    15    7    0
Watford City                    0    0    1    0    1    4    0
Game 2                                                        R    H    E
Minot                            4    2    0    2    2    10    7    0
Watford City                0    0    0    0    0    0    1    0

WATFORD CITY WEATHER