April 21, 2010

Wolves baseball team falls to Bishop Ryan 5-4 in 10 innings

By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor

Bishop Ryan swept the Wolves in double header baseball action last Thursday, but the Wolves gave the Lions a scare in the first game.
In spite of out hitting Bishop Ryan 10-4, Watford City fell to the Lions 5-4 in 10 innings in the first game and then lost the second game 10-1 in four innings.
This week, the Wolves will be at New Town on April 22 before hosting Bishop Ryan on Saturday, April 24. Watford City will close out the week’s schedule at Kenmare on April 27.
Bishop Ryan 5, Watford City 4
 (10 innings)
Bishop Ryan 10, Watford City 1
“We played very well against the defending State Champs and No. 1 rated team,” stated Justin Johnsrud, Wolves head coach. “The top of our  order hit very well.”
In the first game of the day, Minot took a 4-2 lead after three innings of play with Watford City coming back to score runs in the top of the fifth and seventh innings to tie the game at 4-4. After two scoreless extra innings of play, the Lions scored in the bottom of the tenth to take the win.
“I feel very good about where we are at this early in the season,” states Johnsrud. “We had 10 hits against one of, if not the best, pitcher we will see this year in Region 7.”
According to Johnsrud, this was just Watford City’s second game of the season compared to it being Bishop Ryan’s seventh outing and that difference showed up on the field.
“We had some costly errors and some other mental mistakes that Bishop Ryan took advantage of,” stated Johnsrud. “ The errors and mental mistakes are things we can work on and should improve throughout the season with more game time experience.”
And with all of Bishop Ryan’s runs being unearned, Johnsrud believes that with more playing time, the next time the two teams matchup the results could be different.
“It wasn’t a case of us being out matched or overpowered,” stated Johnsrud. “If we can eliminate the mistakes in the field and continue to improve at the plate we should be right where we need to be, come Region Tournament time.”
Doug Rolfson pitched the first six innings of the game striking out four batters while giving up four runs, three hits and three bases on balls. Trey Jacobson finished out the game striking out three batters while giving up one run, one hit and one base on balls in four innings of work.
Offensively, Dillon Langerud was three for five with two singles and one RBI, Ben Haugeberg was two for five with a double and one RBI, Trey Jacobson was two for five with two stolen bases and Nick Liebel was two for four with one walk and a stolen base.
In the second game, Bishop Ryan jumped out to a 6-1 first inning lead and then added one run in the second and third innings and two runs in the fourth inning to defeat Watford City 10-1.
Ben Haugeberg started on the mound for the second game giving up six runs on two hits and three errors. Dillon Langerud, who came in during the first inning and then finished the game for the Wolves gave up five runs on two hits and two errors.
“We played a few younger guys in this game and errors proved costly again,” stated Johnsrud. “It was a good game to get some of our younger players some game time experience. Ben and Dillon pitched well but we struggled to get outs for them when we needed to. Again mental mistakes and errors cost us.”
Offensively, Langerud was two for two with a stolen base, while Liebel, Karson Knudtson and Reid Johnson were one for two.
Game 1                                                                                R    H    E
Bishop Ryan    1    0    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    1        5    4    2
Watford City      1    0    1    0    1    0    1    0    0    0        4   10   5
Game 2                                                                                R    H    E
Bishop Ryan                                          6    1    1    2      10    11   5
Watford City                                            1    0    0    0        1     3    3

WATFORD CITY WEATHER