DUCKS ELIMINATE FROGS WITH 4-2 WIN

Menno found some hope when it had to, but Hartford/Humboldt came through when it mattered most as the Wood Ducks hung on for a 4-2 win over the Mad Frogs in the opening round of the Class B State Amateur Baseball Tournament Thursday night in Mitchell.

Menno ends its season 7-13 while Hartford/Humboldt advances to the quarterfinal Monday, Aug. 12 against the winner of Elk Point and Redfield DQ.

Thursday’s game

The Mad Frogs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on two hits and a sacrifice RBI by Ajay Herrboldt that scored Spencer Schultz from third, but their bats went quiet after that. Menno collected just two more singles the rest of the way while the Wood Bats did their damage in the top of the fifth when they put up four runs on four hits to take a 4-1 lead.

But Menno mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth thanks to a Bryce Sattler walk, a Tyler Miller hit-by-pitch and a Dylan Lehr single that loaded the bases. The Mad Frogs then scored on a ball-in-play by Spencer Schultz and an error at shortstop that scored Sattler and made it 4-2, but Macon Oplinger hit into a fielder’s choice-out-at-second to end the game.

Doug Hall took the loss, giving up four runs on six hits and walking four against two strikeouts in five innings. Trey Christensen, a pickup player from Freeman, pitched the final four innings and struck out two, giving up two hits without walking a batter.

Menno’s four hits were all singles from Herrboldt, Conner Merriam, Lehr and Schultz.