Sports

Season ends at regions for Jacks baseball team

By Bottineau Courant Staff

05/14/2013

The Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) men’s baseball season ended after a day two loss at the Region XIII Tournament.

The Jacks lost to the Williston State College (WSC) Tetons 10-2 on Sunday to get eliminated a game before the championship. The Tetons then fell to Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) 9-0 in the title game.

DCB advanced to the tournament’s final day after outlasting host Bismarck State College (BSC) 2-1 in a 10 inning pitchers duel. The game was a loser-out game, as the Jacks lost 10-0 to eventual champion DCTC in six innings earlier in the day.

In the opener the Jacks were unable to find their bats against DCTC pitcher Josh Pierce, who allowed only three hits in the six-inning victory.

Jacks ace JJ Dukes started the contest and pitched well to start allowing two first inning runs, then shutting down DCTC until eight runs in the final three innings, including five in the bottom of the sixth.

Getting the three hits for the Jacks were Dukes and freshmen Greg Thompson and Alphonzo Rigby. Tom Potter led DCTC offensively with a 3-for-3 day and three runs batted in (RBI).

The Jacks rebounded nicely later in the day, however, as they were able to grind out a victory against BSC in a loser-out contest.

Sophomore Tyias Huck pitched spectacularly going all 10 innings allowing only a first-inning run and throwing 157 pitches to advance DCB past the Mystics.

Huck struck out seven Mystics while walking five and allowing only six hits. He was dueling with BSC hurler Zac Smith, who also allowed a first-inning run and last 8 2/3 innings before giving way to Jordan Kenner.

DCB then won the game in an unconventional way.
After back-to-back singles from sophomore Tyler Storseth and freshman Kirk Sailer, Thompson grounded to shortstop. Sailer was recorded out, but BSC wasn’t satisfied and tried for a double play, which ended with an errant throw and Storseth scored the winning run.

Both Storseth and Thompson were 3-for-5 on the game and Huck and sophomore Taylor Milbrath were each 2-for-4.

Milbrath, a Bottineau High School grad, also made an impressive play tagging out a Mystics runner in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra innings.

The extra-inning victory on Saturday may have drained the Jacks as they played WSC in Sunday’s loser-out contest and couldn’t match the Tetons in a 10-2 loss.

The Tetons came out swinging, putting up runs in the first, third and fifth innings. DCB scored twice in the third to make it interesting, but the dagger came with a four-run sixth that sealed it for WSC.

The Jacks committed four errors that led to five earned runs. Storseth took the loss on the mound.
Leading DCB at the plate were Huck (3-for-4, double, stolen base); Thompson (2-for-4, double, RBI); Connor Drewry (2-for-3, double) and Milbrath (2-for-3, run, stolen base).

Jake Beuster won the contest for WSC on the mound, pitching all seven innings and allowing 10 hits and only one earned run, while striking out six.

The loss ended the Jacks season with a 3-18 overall record. DCB lost four sophomores, which are leaders and will effect them, especially on the mound. DCB loses three strong starting pitchers in Dukes, Huck and Storseth. The Jacks will also lose Taylor Milbrath. There are 10 freshman with eligibility left For DCB next season including Sailer, Thompson and BHS graduate Cody Brooks.