Warriors stave off elimination - twice

DICKINSON, N.D. - Needing two wins Sunday to stay in the NSAA Tournament, the Waldorf baseball team got those two wins, including an 11-inning late-night thriller to remain in the tournament.

The long, tense day started with an elimination game against the tournament No. 2-seed Dakota State, a team that swept a tripleheader from Waldorf just a week ago. Dakota State did jump out to a 3-1 lead after two innings. Waldorf cut into DSU's lead in the bottom of the third. Ian Carr led off the frame with a bunt single and moved all the way to third base on a throwing error. A Rylee Rauch RBI grounder brought in Carr to pull Waldorf within 3-2. The game remained 3-2 until the sixth. With two on, Robert Gurney laced a double to left to score one and tie the game at 3. Two batters later, Juan Jorge doubled himself, scoring two more to give Waldorf a 5-3 lead. The Waldorf bullpen kept Dakota State scoreless over the final seven innings. Trevor Brace pitched 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball, allowing only four hits while striking out five. Reno Morehouse allowed only one hit over the final two innings to record the save.

That advanced Waldorf to another elimination game against a familiar foe in Viterbo. Waldorf beat the V-Hawks in the tournament opening game on Friday night, 9-8. This would prove to be another close, nail-biting affair. Waldorf got on the scoreboard first. In the bottom of the second, Nate Westfield drew a two-out walk and later stole second. Another clutch Jorge double drove in Westfield for the game's first run. Viterbo took a 3-1 lead in the fourth. The Warriors got a run back in the bottom half to cut the deficit to 3-2. It remained that way until the seventh. Rauch singled and later stole second. He came around to score on a Zach Meyer RBI single to tie the game at 3. The game would go into extras tied at 3. Ryuyo Kato came on in relief in the fifth inning and was masterful. He tossed 5 1/3 innings of no-hit relief while striking out four. Kato pitched into the tenth. He walked two batters and was replaced by Ryan Meyer. With runners on second and third and two outs, Meyer got a big strikeout to end Viterbo's threat. Meyer easily retired the V-Hawks in the 11th. In the bottom half, Jorge continued his big day at the plate with a lead-off single to center. Carr followed with a single to right that moved Jorge to third. Rauch blooped a shot to short left that fell and scored Jorge for the winning run that gave Waldorf a 4-3, 11-inning win.

Waldorf moves on to another elimination Monday against Valley City State. The two teams split their four regular season meetings. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. central (9 mountain). The winner advances to the championship round against No. 1-seed Bellevue.