Montevideo 10, GF 9
With a two run lead and two outs already on the score board in the final inning, Granite Falls would finally wither in the heat of Saturday afternoon at Richter field and end their season with a heart breaking 10-9 loss to Montevideo in the American Legion District 7-II baseball tournament.
With a two run lead and two outs after three pitches, Tyler Sand faltered; giving up a walk, then hitting a batter, before allowing a shallow single to load the bases. A run would be walked in next, then a back breaking throwing error would allow the tying and winning runs to cross—ending Granite’s season at 5-10 on the year.
Montevideo would advance to stand up to and fall against Sacred Heart for the second time in the double elimination tournament.
Sacred Heart now moves on to the District 7 final four tournament to decide a trip to State.
“It’s a tough way to lose,” said manager Nick Richter. “We had a lot of chances. Nobody wants to end their season like that. I felt for the guys, it was a hot day and they gave me everything they had. We were one strike away and I was very proud of our guys.”
Granite led by as many as six runs going into bottom of the fifth up 8-2. But then Montevideo reliever Troy Hendrickson came on to silence Post 69’s bats and Monte clawed their way back into the ball game; leading up to that fateful and for Granite—that all too elusive—final out.
Of his team’s season Richter said in retrospect, “When it’s all said and done, I felt we gave a lot of games away. We’re better than our record shows. We played hard, it wasn’t a matter of guys quitting. I’m proud of how the guys handled themselves both on and off the field. It just didn’t just end the way we wanted.”
GF 620 000 1 — 9 11 2
Monte 110 023 3 —10 9 3
HITTING
Granite Falls: Dylan Hoffman 2-for-4, 2 rbi; Dylan Lindstrom 2-for-5, rbi; Travis Enger 2-for-5, Derek Dyrdahl 1-for-3, rbi; Jordan Hagert 2-for-3, 2 rbi; Mason Hegna 1-for-3, 2 rbi; Hunter Lecy 1-for-3, rbi
Montevideo: Mitch Christensen 1-for-4, rbi; Brett Bergeson 1-for-3, 2b; Troy Hendrickson 1-for-4, Tyler Kuno 1-for-3, Jake Bender 1-for-1, rbi; Joe Bender 1-for-3, rbi; Colton Vien 1-for-3, 2b, 2 rbi; Jered Schmitt 2-for-4, rbi
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so)
Granite Falls: Tyler Sand (L) 6Xc-9-10-7-5-4
Montevideo: Christian Brabender Xc-4-6-6-2-0, Troy Hendrickson (L) 6Zc-7-3-2-4-6
