Post 30 entered the tourney as number two seed and played third seeded Bemidji Woodpeckers on Sunday. Post 30 won 4-0 behind an excellent pitching performance by Jaden Norby and one big hit. Norby threw six innings and allowed only two hits while striking out nine Bemidji batters. With runners at second and third in the third inning, Abel Aho hit a sacrifice fly to the center fielder to score Matt Scott for the only run Post 30 would need. In the fourth inning, Wyatt Goetz drew a walk, Ian Stumbo singled, and Norby was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Arik Heacox lined the second pitch he saw to left field for a bases-clearing double. His hit made the score 4-0. Norby didn’t face more than five Woodpecker batters in any inning and Dustin Duenow pitched the top of the seventh inning to finish the game.

The first-round win gave Post 30 Sunday night off and the boys got back on the field Monday afternoon to play the top-seeded Moorhead Golds. Heacox (6.0 IP, 7H, 3ER, 7K) pitched well enough to win and made it through some early troubles to keep the game close. It was a clean game defensively for both teams, but the Golds prevailed 3-2. Moorhead held a 3-0 lead entering the fourth frame. In Post 30’s half of the inning, Norby led off with a double and scored one pitch later when Heacox doubled off the left field fence. Jack Uhrich served as courtesy runner for Heacox and advanced to third on an errant pick-off attempt. Uhrich then scored on a sac fly by Abel Aho. Heacox retired the Golds in order in three of the last four innings, but was matched by Moorhead’s pitcher, who shut Post 30 out the rest of the way for a 3-2 Moorhead win.

The loss sent Post 30 into the elimination round for a game with Perham immediately after the Moorhead game. Post 30 took control early and defeated Perham 7-1. Aho pitched well for Post 30, allowing just one run on two hits over 3 1/3 innings. Dustin Duenow pitche 3 2/3 innings in relief to finish the game.

Ian Stumbo scored in the top of the first on a sac fly by Abel Aho. Arik Heacox and Bryce Burrill scored on a two out, hard ground ball single by Wyatt Goetz to make it 3-0 after one inning. Perham got its only run in the top of the second inning. Norby singled in the third inning, advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt, and scored on a hard ground ball from Heacox. Post 30 iced the game in their half of the third, scoring three more runs with two outs. Goetz was hit by a pitch and Jack Culbertson singled. Brandon Brusven served as courtesy runner for Culbertson and advanced to third on a base hit by Carter Thielke that also scored Goetz. Stumbo picked up two RBI on a hit to right field that scored both Thielke and Brusven.

With the win, Post 30 earned a chance for redemption against Moorhead on Tuesday. Post 30 would have to beat Moorhead twice to win the championship. Post 30 outhit the Golds 11-3 but fell 2-1 in 9 innings. David Horgen and Thielke pitched for Post 30 and were, as the two runs over 10 innings indicates, stellar from the mound. Both teams played very well, but the Golds were able to make one more play when needed.

Post 30 scored first in the top of third inning. Thielke singled to lead off the inning and stole second base. Jaden Norby the doubled to score Thielke. Norby was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play. Moorhead scored a run in their half of the third to tie the game after a hit by pitch and a triple.

Post 30 had their best chance in the fifth inning after loading the bases on consecutive singles by Thielke, Aho, and Norby. But Post 30 grounded out to the pitcher twice to force the out at home each time before flying out to center field to end the threat. For the next several inning, Moorhead wouldn’t fare any better…until the bottom of the ninth inning when they scraped together a run after a hit batsman, a walk, and an error off a sacrifice bunt to win 2-1.

Post 30 Junior Legion team offers a big thank you to American Legion Post 30 in Fergus Falls for their continued support of youth activities! Thank you also to City of Fergus Falls and our Parks Department for preparing our home field at DeLagoon Park.