The coach also liked the work of Ari Miller behind the plate

[mouakter14]

Jett Brophy was 2 for 4 with two runs, Matthew Schilling had two runs and three RBIs, Jacob Joanis scored twice, Jackson Koetitz had two RBIs, Jayden Stuyvesant was 2 for 4 with three RBIs, and Gavin Peterson was 2 for 3 with two RBIs.

It’s still early in the season, so Quelland used five pitchers. Jack Harper, Malakai BeDunnah, Tristen Roberts, Brophy and Clyde Clemens combined to give up two runs — one earned — on four hits.

Schilling led the defense in center field by robbing Evan Baldwin of extra bases when Schilling outran the ball to the left-center gap.

“Oh my goodness,” Quelland said. “We’re watching country email list from 250 feet away. There’s only a couple that can get that one.”


Jack Zuspan took the loss for South, going four innings and giving up nine runs — six earned — on nine hits.

Dannenbring said the Wolverines were not able to back up a good game earlier in the day against Auke Bay.

“They’ve got to be tougher,” he said of his team. “As the day gets longer, they kind of lose their focus. They’re super young, but we’ve got to get better.”

Rangers 9, Midnight Suns 2

Although Madisonville led 4-0 after four innings, Mills thought his team got off to a slow start.

In the later innings, the coach said his team started hitting better.

They also turned in some impressive defensive plays. Left fielder Xzavier Martin cut down Micah Nelson trying to score in the sixth, and catcher Conner Mitchuson erased Marcus Mendoza when he tried to advance on a pitch in the dirt in the seventh.

“After my guys were seeing the pitching the second and third time through, then we kind of started hitting a little better,” Mills said.

Mitchuson had two hits and three runs, Micah Austin was 2 for 4, Easton Mefford had two RBIs and Martin was 2 for 4 with two RBIs.

The Midnight Suns only lost the hits battle 12-11. Hunter Carte was 2 for 4, Madden Mendoza was 2 for 4, Kasen Ludeman was 2 for 4, Noah Lewis was 2 for 4 and Drew Cadigan-McAdoo was 3 for 4.

Auke Bay cut the lead to 4-2 in the fifth before errors keyed a four-run rally by Madisonville in the bottom of the inning.

“When you battle back, you’ve got to keep battling back, and you can’t make those errors,” Tompkins said. “Not against a team like that. They’re a well-oiled machine.”