Carter Thielke took the mound in game one and was in control all night, going six innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and one walk, while striking out four batters.  Owen Krueger picked up the win in relief, pitching the seventh inning and giving up 2 runs on 2 hits.  Thielke (2-2, 2BB, R), Isaac Johnson (1-2, 2B, RBI, R), Sam Sorum (1-1, 2B, R) and Arik Heacox (1-4, RBI) were the hitting leaders for Post 30.

“Carter gave us every chance to win this ball game and then some,” commented Fergus Falls Head Coach Trevor Larson.  “He was attacking early and often, challenging hitters with his good fastball.”

Post 30 took a 1-0 lead after 4 innings, only to watch Brainerd put up single runs in the 5th and 6th, and 2 runs in the 7th to take a 4-1 lead. Isaac Johnson worked a 6 pitch walk, after a strike out. Sam Sorum came off the bench with a double to left field to score Johnson and make it 4-2. Cole Zierden singled to right field to score Sorum and make it 4-3.  Thielke singled to left field, advancing Zierden to third with one out. A wild pitch tied the game at 4-4 with Heacox batting. Heacox did a great job of going with the pitch with a solid single to left field to score Thielke from 2nd to walk off Brainerd 5-4.

Game two starter Aric Heacox went 3 innings, gave up 5 runs, 3 of which were earned, on 4 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 4 batters.  Michael DeBrito, Colin Becker and Andrew Johnson all pitched an inning of relief.  Jonah Sorum (2-3, 2B) and Ben Swanson (2-3, R) led the offensive effort.

“We didn’t play well enough in game two give ourselves much of a chance,” reported Coach Larson.  “Five errors and six walks is way too much to give a team like Brainerd.  I thought we had much better at bats than the score says.  We had many barreled balls that were hit right at people, or had nice plays made on them.  Overall, tonight was a learning experience for the boys.  I’m proud of the composure they showed in the first game, never giving it up and believing in each other.”

Post 30 returns to action on Friday at 11:00am in Wahpeton.  It is the opening round of pool play in the Wahpeton Tournament.