In a state-qualifying, best-of-three matchup between Belle Fourche and Tri-Valley Maroon, Belle Fourche won two games on Tuesday, July 15th to advance to the state tournament.
Belle Fourche 18, Tri-Valley Maroon 9
Belle Fourche broke an 8-8 tie with a big 10-run top of the seventh inning to win the first game. They scored a run in the top of the second for an early 1-0 lead. Tri-Valley took the lead, 2-1, with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Belle Fourche went back in front, 7-2, with six runs in the top of the third. Tri-Valley got half of those runs back in the bottom of the inning to make the score 7-5. After a run in the top of the fourth by Belle Fourche, Tri-Valley rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game 8-8. The game stayed tied 8-8 until the top of the seventh. Belle Fourche then scored 10 times in their half of the inning. Tri-Valley was only able to get one run in the bottom of the seventh.
Abbott Moeller had two hits and an RBI. Cooper Durick had a double with two RBIs. Treyson Richter had a home run and an RBI. Cooper Nielsen and Parker Atwood each had a single in the game. Moeller pitched four innings and allowed eight runs, two earned, on 10 hits and four walks with eight strikeouts. Durick pitched 2 1/3 innings and allowed five earned runs on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
Belle Fourche 8, Tri-Valley Maroon 1
In the second game of the series, Belle Fourche scored early and held for the win. They got a run in the bottom of the first and four more in the second for a 5-0 lead. They would added two more in the bottom of the fourth making the score 7-0. Tri-Valley got a run in the top of the fifth inning, but Belle Fourche also scored a run in the bottom of the inning.
Ricther finished with two hits and an RBI. Moeller, Neilsen, and Evan Focken all had one hit each. Lawson Schneiderman pitched 3 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs, four earned, on seven hits and three walks with a strikeout. Atwood threw 2 1/3 innings and allowed an earned run on two hits and two walks with one strikeout.
Tri-Valley will have one more chance to qualify for the state tournament in a single-elimination, last-chance tournament.
