Sports
Babe Ruth falls just short of state
Bottineau Courant Staff (Photo by Tyler Ohmann)
07/24/2012
After capturing the Turtle Mountain League title the Bottineau Diamond slugs Babe Ruth baseball team earned a chance at a berth in the state tournament last Sunday playing Grafton in a best-of-three series in Bottineau.
In a breezy affair the Diamon slugs were bested by the Spoilers in the first two games to fall shy of state entrance.
In game one the two squads slugged it out in a lengthy duel. In the end the Spoilers outlasted Bottineau 19-7.
The visiting Spoilers jumped out to an early lead scoring in the top of the first, but Bottineau came back with a run of their own in the second.
The Spoilers piled on more runs in the fourth and to take a 10-3 lead, but Bottineau charged back with four runs of their own in the bottom half of the fifth.
However, Grafton scored eight times in the top of the seventh to charge on to victory.
A scary moment in the seventh inning as Bottineau’s Parker Englehard took a line drive to the chin from his spot on the mound. He left the game and did not return as he was taken in for stitches.
He came in for Brock Hiltner, who started the game on the mound and took the loss, allowing six runs in four innings.
At the dish for Bottineau Luke Amsbaugh scored twice and reached base three times for the Diamondslugs. Hiltner, Engelhard and catcher Brody Moum also scored and had a hit for Bottineau.
Grafton pitcher Jess Suda scored five times for the Spoilers.
Game two went again in favor of the Spoilers who scored seven times in the second inning in route to a 14-3 win in five innings.
Amsbaugh started for Bottineau and was relieved by Hiltner.
Casey Tooke scored and reached base in both of his at-bats.
Grafton’s Zak Hernandez scored four times on a 2-for-3 day.
Grafton moves on to play in the state tournament, which is in Casselton.
Bottineau finishes the season at 18-10 overall.
To get to this point the Bottineau Babe Ruth team captured the Turtle Mountain League championship behind three strong pitching performances from Parker Engelhard, Luke Amsbaugh and Brock Hiltner. The Diamond slugs now advance to a regional playoff with Grafton with the winner advancing to the Babe Ruth State Tournament in Casselton.
Bottineau topped Cando 12-2 in their opening game, as they got clutch two-out hits from Zach Johnson and Engelhard to help their team to a 6-2 lead after three innings. Bottineau added a run in the fourth on an RBI groundout from Konnor Keysor. Engelhard was strong on the mound, allowing one walk in five innings. He also struck out five as he picked up the win.
The defense was sharp behind Amsbaugh in game two, a matchup of undefeated teams in the double elimination tournament. Bottineau took a 2-0 lead in the first against Rugby when Brody Moum doubled and scored on a Johnson single. Two stolen bases put Johnson at third, and he would score on a passed ball. Rugby earned a run in the fourth making it 3-1, but Moum, who finished 3-3, got back to back singles with Amsbaugh to leadoff the fifth inning for the Slugs. RBI groundouts from Johnson and Keysor extended the lead to 5-1, and Bottineau went on to win 6-1. Amsbaugh scattered six hits in seven innings, and got some help from his defense as they turned a double play in the fourth to escape a jam, and helped Amsbaugh to a three pitch inning in the seventh.
Rugby won a consolation game to earn another shot at Bottineau, but Hiltner tossed a complete game shutout leading Bottineau to the 4-0 win. Rugby starter Eli Luna was in control as he also had a shutout into the fifth. Bottineau finally broke the scoreless game with a pair of runs in the fifth. With one out, Casey Tooke launched a double to the wall. Tooke would be put out at third on a ball hit by Engelhard. Hiltner walked putting runners at first and second. Two wild pitches allowed Engelhard to cross the plate, followed by an RBI single from Amsbaugh. Rugby threatened in the sixth, putting two on with one out. Rugby got a single up the middle, but a perfect relay from centerfield allowed Moum to block the plate and apply the tag for the second out. Hiltner got a swinging strikeout for the third out. An Ethan Kerslake bunt for a hit in the sixth lead to two insurance runs for Bottineau.