WEST FARGO, N.D. - The Grand Forks Blues didn’t leave much doubt as to the outcome of Sunday’s championship game of the North Dakota Class AA Junior Legion tournament in West Fargo.
The Blues scored in each of the first three innings en route to a 9-0 win over the Fargo Bombers to win the state title.
Grand Forks has now qualified to play in next week’s Midwest Plains Regional tournament in Leavenworth, Kan.
The Blues scored two runs in the first, two in the second and three in the third to coast home for the win.
Baden Ripplinger was the winning pitcher.
ADVERTISEMENT
Jace Braathan led the way at the plate, going 3-for-3. Brock Reller went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs. Casey Schumacher and Noah Cieklinski each had two hits as well.
Grand Forks went 4-0 in the tournament, scoring 43 runs while allowing 16. But eight of those 16 runs came in a 10-8 win over Minot during the second day of the tournament. The Blues trailed 8-0 before reeling off 10 straight runs.
The Blues will take a 36-8-1 record to Kansas. Grand Forks has lost only three games in its last 34.
Briefly
- Soccer: Three teams from the Greater Grand Forks Soccer Club reached the championship games of their respective state tournaments over the weekend. The Grand Forks 11-under girls, 14-under girls and the 12-under boys teams all played in title games. All three teams finished second.
- Softball: The Grand Forks Express 14-under girls softball team recently won the state title, downing Dickinson 6-4 in the championship game played in Grand Forks. The team went 5-0 in the tournament. The team is coached by Kelvin Ziegler, Cathy Ziegler, Mike Bisenius, and Kyle Ellingson. Team members are: Megan Boman, Hallie Roed, Shawna Keitzman, Cassidy Kuntz, Taiylor Ellingson, Gabbie Nuelle, Caitlyn Seng, Teresa Mattson, Jessica Adam, Anna Koponen, Kayla Nelson, Payton Ziegler and Brooke Kennelly.
