Regardless of how Langdon finished at the Northeast Region tournament, the Blue Sox were advancing to the North Dakota Class B American Legion baseball tournament. As host of the state tournament, Langdon had an automatic berth.
Rather than easing the pressure on the Blue Sox, that may have increased it.
“It gave us more incentive,” Langdon coach Dylan Crockett said. “We wanted to do well at the regional. We wanted to prove that we belonged at state because we’re a good team, not just because Langdon is hosting the state tournament.
“And the guys did a great job. I think we played harder at the regional than we have all year.”
There was no backing into state. The Blue Sox finished second at the regional, losing to Thompson in the final. The top two finishers in each of the state’s four regions will be in the state tournament, which begins today and runs through Sunday.
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Langdon has some big bats in its lineup in Dalton Fetsch (.600, 4 home runs, 25 RBI) and Kade Pengilly (.422, 12 RBI) in the middle of its lineup. But the strength of the team is a pitching staff led by Kalton Agnes, who has 98 strikeouts in 53X\c innings. Pengilly, Jon Skjervheim and Erik Aanderud round out the top four pitchers.
“Kalton is the ace,” Crockett said. “He throws hard, he throws strikes and he has a curveball with a nasty break. But all four of our pitchers throw well. They all throw strikes and have good offspeed stuff.”
Thompson brothers have homecoming
The Class B state tournament will be a homecoming for Thompson starters Calen and Cadyn Schwabe.
The brothers spent their early childhood in Langdon, but moved to Thompson when their father, Jason, took an administrative position at Thompson High School. Calen Schwabe, a shortstop and leadoff hitter, bats .377 and Cadyn, hitting ninth in the order, has a .382 average.
“I’m sure Langdon would still like to have them in their program,’’ Thompson coach Brady Schwab said. “I’m glad we’ve got them. Calen plays shortstop and is our most athletic infielder. Calen and Malek (Larimer, batting .286 in the No. 2 spot in the order) can run. They create problems for defenses with their speed when they get on base.’’
Calen Schwabe, Skylar Carlson (.447, team-best 32 RBI), Ryne Dolleslager (.444, team-high 13 extra-base hits), Brandon Walsh (.354) and Cadyn Schwabe (.382) give the balanced team five hitters with .350-plus batting averages.
But the strength of the 22-3 team is a pitching staff anchored by Walsh (5-0, 1.53 ERA) and Carlson (6-0, 1.95, team-leading 49 strikeouts in 32 innings.
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“Usually, we’ve gotten decent outings on the mound,’’ Schwab said. “Our pitchers give us solid innings and a chance to win.
“They pitch to contact and rely on the defense to make plays. And we’ve played pretty well behind them.’’
Youth prevails with Nelson County
A year ago, Nelson County was runner-up to eventual state champion Grafton in its region tournament. That Nelson County team had six players who either had a year of college baseball under their belts or were committed to play college baseball.
The only starters back from a year ago are Riley Nelson, Hunter Engel and Dakota Hoyt. Nelson County has four starters (Jonathan Lund, Matt Miller, Jayden Grover and Tyler Gravseth) who played on last season’s Class B Babe Ruth state championship team.
Yet the team is state bound after finishing second in the Central Region tournament last week.
“We’re young,” Nelson County coach Brent Luehring said. “All our starters will be back next year. But I still knew we had a chance to get to state. These are good ballplayers, and they’re steadily improving.”
Depth is the strength, both in the hitting order and on the pitching staff.
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Nelson County regulars all are hitting better than .260. The top of the order – Engel (.426), Nelson (.337), Grover (.412, 4 HR, 31 RBI), Hoyt (.351, 1 HR, 30 RBI) and Lund (.334, 2 HR, 32 RBI) – has been particularly effective. Nelson (5-1, 1.26 ERA) and Grover (5-2, 5.24) lead a five-deep pitching staff.
“It’s hard to get through our 3-4-5 guys in the order without at least one of them getting a big hit,” Luehring said. “They all have some power and hit the ball hard.
“And our pitching is deep. Riley and Jayden are our top two, but Gravseth has been our best the last few weeks. They’re all good pitchers. They throw strikes and we play good defense behind them.”
Area B state qualifiers at a glance
Nelson County
Coach: Brent Luehring.
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Record: 21-12, Central Region runner-up.
N.D. Class B state tournament opener: Nelson County meets Thompson in a 4 p.m. quarterfinal game today in Langdon.
Regular lineup: Hunter Engel (.426, 15 SB), Riley Nelson (.337, 20 SB), Jayden Grover (.412, 4 HR, 31 RBI), Dakota Hoyt (.351, 1 HR, 30 RBI), Jonathan Lund (.334, 2 HR, 32 RBI), Tyler Gravseth (.265, 10 RBI, 13 SB), Matt Miller (.264, 11 RBI), Devin Fitcher (.266, 1 HR, 10 RBI) or Braydyn Sand (.311, 12 RBI), Ben Halvorson (.246).
Top pitchers: Nelson (4-1, 1.26, staff-leading 54 K), Grover (5.2, 5.24), Gravseth (4.2, 3.79), Lund (4-3, 4.40), Gavin Tweed (2-2, 2.95).
Thompson
Coach: Brady Schwab.
Record: 22-3, Northeast Region champion.
N.D. Class B state tournament opener: Thompson meets Nelson County in a 4 p.m. quarterfinal game today in Langdon.
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Regular lineup: Calen Schwabe (.377, 16 RBI, 11 SB), Malek Larimer (.286, 11 RBI), Skylar Carlson (.447, 2 HR, 32 RBI), Tom Nistler (.327, 13 RBI), Ryne Dolleslager (.444, 17 RBI, team-leading 13 extra-base hits), Brandon Walsh (.354, 19 RBI), Brett Sutter-Hegg (.220, 1 HR, 7 RBI), Andrew Klegstad (.302, 1 HR, 15 RBI), Cadyn Schwabe (.382).
Top pitchers: Walsh (5-0, 1.53 ERA), Carlson (6-0, 1.95, team-leading 49 K), Dolleslager (3-1, 3.23), Calen Schwabe (1-2, 5.36).
Langdon
Coach: Dylan Crockett.
Record: 15-8, second in Northeast Region.
N.D. Class B state tournament opener: Langdon meets Carrington in a 7 p.m. quarterfinal game today in Langdon.
Regular lineup: Kalton Agnes (.340), Jon Skjervheim (.333, 10 RBI), Dalton Fetsch (.600, 4 HR, 25 RBI), Kade Pengilly (.422, 12 RBI), Erik Aanderud (.132), Cameron Phillips (.324), Jace Ramberg (.545), Lucas Mikkelson (.083), Logan Waslaski (.318).
Top pitchers: Agnes (2-3, 3 saves, 98 K in 53.2 IP), Skjervheim (3-2), Pengilly (3-2), Aanderud (4-0).
