WILLISTON -- Dickinson High baseball coach Pete Dobitz knows how it feels to win championships.
But this one, he said, is something special.
Midgets pitcher James Kary scatted six hits and shutout Williston 3-0 in the West Region championship game Saturday at Aafedt Stadium.
"You're pretty nervous because you want a group that works so hard and stays together," Dobitz said. "To get some success, it's very, very, very satisfying for this group because of how hard they work."
The Midgets (18-11) will face East Region No. 4 seed Wahpeton at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the Class A state tournament quarterfinals at Mandan Memorial Ballpark.
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Dickinson scored a pair of runs in the first inning when senior Taylor Thiel doubled and was driven home on a base hit by senior Mason Schiff. Kary added the second run when he scored on a wild pitch.
Kary, a junior right-hander who improved to 6-1 on the season, capped the Midgets' dominating pitching performance in the tournament by striking out six and walking just two.
Dickinson's pitchers allowed one run and 10 hits in the tournament, which Dobitz said speaks volumes to the team's defensive effort.
"You have to have team chemistry and right now it's unbelievable how good the team chemistry is with these guys," Dobitz said.
Dickinson tacked on an insurance run and chased Williston starter Seth Falcon in the fourth when Dylan Skabo waited on a bases-loaded walk to score Alex Huschka, who opened the inning with a walk.
Tanner Hopfauf, the Midgets' sophomore designated hitter, had sacrifice bunted Huschka to second base earlier in the inning.
"They understand, you have a job to do sometimes and you have to be able to do it," Dobitz said. "It's not just the little guys who are called on to do it more than the big guys."
Jacob Brokaw and Kaden Lerbakken each went 2-for-4 to lead Williston (11-19).
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Schiff and Thiel were named to the all-tournament team. The all-West Region team will be released following the end of the season.
Mandan father-son duo of Dewitt and Dwight Mack won West Region's Coach and Senior Athlete of the Year, respectively. However, the top-seeded Braves were eliminated in a state-qualifying game, falling to Bismarck High 4-3.
Bismarck St. Mary's was the West's No. 4 seed, qualifying with a 4-2 victory over Minot in a game that lasted 13 innings.
Williston 000 000 0 -- 0 6 0
Dickinson 200 100 X -- 3 5 0
Seth Falcon, Cody Laber (4) and Alex Holland. James Kary and Brady Dutchak. W-Kary (6-1). L-Falcon. HR-None.
Highlights: W, Jacob Brokaw 2-for-4; Kaden Lerbakken 2-for-4. D, Taylor Thiel, 1-for-3, 2B, run; Mason Schiff 1-for-3, RBI; Alex Huschka 1-for-1, run, 2 BB; Tanner Hopfauf 1-for-2; Dylan Skabo 0-for-2, RBI; Kary 7 IP, 6 K, 2 BB, 6 H, 0 ER, 0-for-2, run.
Records: Dickinson 18-11, Williston 11-19.
