ONE WIN TO GO

• Cole Frenzel

Press Photo by Chris Aarhus Dickinson Roughriders third baseman Cole Frenzel makes a throw on a soft grounder Saturday against the Minot Vistas during the Class A American Legion baseball state tournament at John Randall Field in Wahpeton.

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WAHPETON — Minot went to its best option to protect a lead, but it wasn’t good enough to stop Dickinson’s big bats.

Cole Frenzel singled in the eighth inning off Minot reliever Ryan Bollinger and Ben Herauf followed with his third home run of the tournament with a skied shot over the left-field wall to lift the Roughriders to a 10-9 victory at the Class A American Legion state baseball tournament Saturday at John Randall Field.

Dickinson punched its ticket to today’s title game with an 18-6 win in seven innings over Mandan earlier in the day and plays Fargo Post 2 at noon. Fargo must beat Dickinson twice to claim the state championship.

“This (win) was definitely a big boost,” Frenzel said. “It should give our hitters even more confidence.”

It’s hard to believe Herauf could be more in the zone than he was Saturday. He finished the game 3-for-4 with five runs batted in. On the day, he was 7-for-8 with two home runs and 12 RBIs.

“I think this allows us to play a little more loose,” Herauf said. “It’s always a big thing if you can be a little more loose.”

In the tournament, Herauf is 12-for-15 with three home runs and 15 RBIs and could be in the running for most valuable player honors, which he won at state last year.

“As I’ve said, Ben is the most complete hitter I’ve seen,” Dickinson coach Andy Emard said. “He hits better than anyone I’ve seen.”

Herauf’s heroics came after Minot made a dramatic comeback and had taken a 9-8 lead on Jordan Rubbelke’s three-run home run in the seventh.

“The kids really battled,” Minot coach Todd Larson said. “I’m proud no matter what.”

Larson saw his own personal streak end. This will be the first time in his 11 seasons as Minot’s coach that his team won’t be playing on a state-tournament Sunday. Nonetheless, the Vistas showed plenty of resilience, rallying from an 8-1 lead. Minot even took an 9-8 lead on a three-run bomb from Bollinger in the seventh.

With one out in the eighth, Frenzel singled to get on, bringing up Ben Herauf, who said he was hoping for anything but a slider.

“Frenzel told me he has a bad slider,” Herauf said. “He said ‘You don’t want to see his slider.’ Then, (Bollinger) gave me a fastball.”

Herauf hit the ball high into the air, causing fans to wait in anticipation as to whether or not it would stay in the park. Once it left, Dickinson had its lead back.

“Ben didn’t get the whole barrel on the bat; he’s just such a strong kid,” Larson said.

The blast made a winner out of Dickinson reliever Kyle Breen, who struggled through an inning and one batter. Oddly enough, it was Herauf who shut down Minot in the final two innings to preserve the one-run lead and pick up the save.

The Roughriders did the bulk of their offensive damage in the third when they scored five runs on five hits including three straight singles from Frenzel, Herauf and Tyler Steffan. Frenzel finished with a game-high four hits while Eric Seiler added two.

Emard said Steffan will most likely start on the hill today with the second game, if needed, being done by committee.

Dickinson ace Stephen Laylock, who pitched the Roughriders to a win over Fargo on Thursday, has pitched and won two high school state championship games as well as a Legion state championship last year. Emard said Laylock could pitch, but likely won’t start either game.

Minot coach Todd Larson, who said his team overachieved this season, was optimistic about the loss. Among the players eligible to return for the Vistas is Bollinger, who is attending junior college baseball powerhouse Iowa Western Community College in the fall.

“We’ll be back next year,” Larson said with a smile.

Dickinson 105 101 020 — 10 14 1

Minot 010 004 400 — 9 12 2

Michael Steve, Kyle Breen (7), Ben Herauf (8) and Connor McNeilly. Jordan Rubbelke, Alex Fornshell (3), Ryan Bollinger (8) and Ben Kramer. W–Breen. L–Bollinger. S–Herauf. HR–D, Herauf (13). M, Rubbelke, Bollinger, Kallias.

Highlights: D, Frenzel 4-for-5, 2 RBI, Herauf 3-for-4, 5 RBI; Eric Seiler 2-for-5. M, Derek Somerville 3-for-4, walk, RBI; Rubbelke 2-for-4, 3 RBI; Bollinger 1-for-4, 3 RBI.

Dickinson 18, Mandan 6 (7 innings)

The Roughriders punched their ticket to today’s state championship game with a consistent effort throughout their lineup.

The meat of Dickinson’s order continued its dominance as cleanup hitter Ben Herauf finished 4-for-4 with a double, a sacrifice fly, seven runs batted in and four runs scored. No. 2 hitter Stephen Laylock also finished 4-for-4, driving in a pair of runs and scoring four more while drawing a walk.

Herauf hit a three-run homer in the first inning to give the Riders an early 3-0 lead.

“He was throwing me a lot of curveballs,” Herauf said. “I got a good piece (of it).”

The 2-6 hitters — Laylock, Frenzel, Herauf, Tyler Steffan and Michael Steve — in Dickinson’s lineup finished 13-for-17 with 16 runs batted in and 14 runs scored. Steve drilled a three-run homer in the sixth where the Roughriders ran away with it, scoring eight runs.

“Laylock had a great game and Frenzel is always on base,” Herauf said. “Michael Steve hit two line drives.”

DIckinson starter Eric Seiler earned the win, allowing five runs in 6Xc innings.

Mandan starter Andy Conlon suffered the loss. The Chiefs were led at the plate by Jay Flaa and Steve Serr, who both hit home runs.

Mandan 001 000 5 — 5 7 0

Dickinson 310 338 x — 18 15 0

Andy Conlon, Sam Salveson (6), Jason Mellmer (6) and Mellmer, Steve Serr (6). Eric Seiler, Sean Kelly (7) and Michael Steve. W–Seiler. L–Conlon. HR–M, Serr, Jay Flaa. D, Ben Herauf (12), Michael Steve.

Highlights: M, Flaa 1-for-1, 3 RBI, run; Serr 1-for-2, 3 runs, 2 walks, RBI. D, Herauf 4-for-4, 7 RBIs, 4 runs, SAC, 2B; Stephen Laylock 4-for-4, walk,2 RBIs, 4 runs; Steve 2-for-3, 2 walks, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Cole Frenzel 1-for-2, 2 walks, HB, 3 runs, RBI; Tyler Steffan 2-for-5, 2 RBI, run.

Fargo 19, Mandan 9 (7 innings)

Kyle Kingsley hit a walk-off grand slam and Post 2 hammered out 16 hits to kept its season alive, 10-running Mandan.

Fargo banged out three home runs as Mike Jones had a two-runs hot in the fifth and Zak Argall a solo bomb in the third.

Mandan 011 050 2 — 9 14 5

Fargo 236 020 6 — 19 16 3

Ryne Jungling, Jacob Friesz (3) and Jason Mellmer. Ryan Messerschmidt, Matt Wawers (5) and Mike Jones. W–Messerschmidt. L–Jungling. HR–M, Mellmer, Steve Pletan, Matt Keller. F, Zak Argall, Kingsley, Jones.

Highlights: M, Mellmer 4-for-5, 2 RBI, 2 runs, 2B; Pletan 1-for-4, 3 RBI; Jared Quast 2-for-4, walk, run; Sam Salveson 2-for-3, walk. F, Kingsley 3-for-5, 4 RBI, grand slam, 3 runs; Andy Schweigert 2-for-4, 2 runs; Justin Fahy 2-for-2, 2b, 3 walks, 4 runs; Matt Achter 2-for-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI.

Fargo 7, Bismarck 1

Post 2 eliminated Bismarck with three quick innings on Saturday morning in a continuation of a suspended game from Friday night.

Post 2 scored a pair of runs in the top of the first, but the Governors got one back in the bottom half. Bismarck starting pitcher Matt Chuppe struggled with his control as Post 2 scored two runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth. Chuppe was relievecd by Alex Deyle, who got the Govs out of the sixth inning.

Fargo 200 023 000 — 7 7 1

Bismarck 100 000 010 — 2 3 3

David Ernst, Jake Nystrom (7) and Mike Jones. Matt Chuppe, Alex Deyle (6), Tyler Peterson (7) and Taylor Isakson. W–Ernst. L–Chuppe. HR–B, Hunter Johnson.

Highlights: F, Ernst 6 IP, 0 R, H, 5 BB, HB, 3 K; Justin Fahy 3-for-4, walk, 3 runs; Matt Achter 3-for-5, 3 runs, RBI. B, Johnson 1-for-4, RBI, run; Peterson 1-for-5, run.

Tags: legion baseball, ben herauf, sports, baseball, roughriders