Seniors Thiel, Schiff put Midgets into West Region baseball title game

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WILLISTON — Taylor Thiel has been hitting the baseball hard all year.

On Thursday, the Dickinson High senior sent one hard and in the gap at the perfect moment.

Thiel’s two-run double to the right-center field fence in the fifth inning was the difference between the No. 2 seed Midgets and No. 6 seed Bismarck High in the semifinals of the West Region Tournament at Aafedt Stadium.

Dickinson won 2-0 to reach the West Region championship game and a date against host No. 8 seed Williston at 4 p.m. MDT today. The Midgets qualified for next weekend’s Class A state tournament with the win.

“At the beginning of the year, we set our goal to make it to state,” Dickinson head coach Pete Dobitz said. “All our hard work since March came down to this game right here. Now we set ourselves a new goal. We hope to get the WDA championship too.”

Dickinson senior Mason Schiff was dominant at the mound, giving up just two hits to pick up the shutout win. He struck out four and walked one while throwing just 77 pitches.

“He let his defense go to work and when he needed a punch-out, he was able to get it,” Dobitz said.

The Midgets (17-11) have given up four hits in two games at the tournament, relying on Alex Huschka’s two-hitter to help beat Bismarck St. Mary’s in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

While the Midgets had just four hits off Bismarck starter Tyler Richter, Thiel picked the right moment to get them the biggest.

Thiel, who has been Dickinson’s big bat in the middle of the lineup since last summer’s American Legion season, came into the game leading the Midgets in hits and RBIs.

“It was nice to have him up with the bases loaded,” Dobitz said.

Thiel scored catcher Brady Dutchak, who Richter had hit with a pitch, and center field Korey Kallenbach, who reached on an error.

Junior James Kary, who has a 1.58 earned-run average and a 4-1 record, will be in the mound for the Midgets today against the Coyotes (11-18) as they try to win their first West Region championships since capturing the last of their three consecutive titles in 2009.

“We’re real happy with where we sitting,” Dobitz.

Bismarck 000 000 0 — 0 2 1

Dickinson 000 020 x — 2 4 0

Tyler Richter and Quinn Irey. Mason Schiff and Brady Dutchak. W–Schiff. L–Irey. HR–None.

Highlights: B, Zach Schuchard 1-for-2; Cole Bauer 1-for-3. D, Korey Kallenbach 1-for-3, run; Dylan Skabo 1-for-1, 2B; Taylor Thiel 1-for-2, 2B, 2 RBI; D.J. Wiseman 1-for-2, SB; Schiff 7 IP, 4 K, 1 BB, 2 H, 0 ER.

Records: Dickinson 17-11, Bismarck 19-13.

West Region Tournament

At Williston (all times MDT)

Games Thursday

Play-in

1) Williston 24, Turtle Mountain 1

Quarterfinals

2) Dickinson 3, Bismarck St. Mary’s 1

3) Bismarck High 2, Bismarck Century 1

4) Minot High 14, Jamestown 6 (8 innings)

5) Williston 9, Mandan 8

Games Friday

Consolation semifinals

6) Bismarck St. Mary’s 3, Bismarck Century 1

7) Mandan 8, Jamestown 1

Semifinals

8) Dickinson 2, Bismarck High 0

9) Williston 6, Minot High 1

Games today

State qualifier: Bismarck St. Mary’s vs. Minot High, 11 a.m.

State qualifier: Mandan vs. Bismarck High, 1:30 p.m.

Championship: Dickinson vs. Williston, 4 p.m.

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