Valley Dogs qualify for state; Belugas bounced in districts

The Class B Valley Dogs from Valley Springs have qualified for the state amateur baseball tournament in their inaugural season.

The Dogs lost their district opener at Garretson on July 21, but rallied and put back-to-back wins together on July 25 against Parker, and then cruised on Friday in a 14-3 win over Beresford to clinch a berth to the state tournament at Cadwell Park in Mitchell beginning later this week. 

With a win-or-go-home scenario on the line against Beresford on Friday, the Dogs put up 11 runs in the top of the first and were never really challenged in the district win.

In that efficient first inning, the Dogs had 10 singles to jumpstart the 11-run lead. Valley finished with 15 total hits, all singles except for a double by Brett Meyer in the fourth inning when Dogs led 12-3.

With Jared Kirkeby on the mound, team manager Brandon Kathman said he felt comfortable that the 11-run lead was going to hold up and qualify the Dogs for the state tournament.

“When you have your ace on the mound – he showed up to the field feeling really, really good,” Kathman said. “I wasn’t too worried he was going to give up 11 runs. He hasn’t done that all season, or in the last five years.”

Although 14 of the 15 Valley hits were singles, Kathman said he’d take it. The 15-hit performance is the second most this season.

“All season we hit the ball hard, and I just felt like it was always right at guys, or it was just a little too high where it hung up a little bit,” Kathman said. “We just weren’t finding the holes. Finally, the baseball gods were on our side.”

The Dogs now get Kimball/White Lake, champions of District 3, in the opening round at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Mitchell.

The Dogs enter the tournament with a record of 7-11. Although not an overwhelming record, the Valley bats have come alive down the stretch. In its last two games, Valley has hammered out 30 hits and scored 29 runs. 

“I’ve seen crazier things happen in baseball,” Kathman said about a potential run this week at the state tournament. “But the big thing is who can show up? It’s during the week and guys have to work.”

Because of that possibility of a potential light roster, Kathman said the Dogs have picked up three players from other Class B teams who’ve been eliminated and who meet 38-year-old age requirement.

Belugas fail to reach

state tourney

The Class A Brandon Belugas lost in their district play and were eliminated from the post season with a 6-3 loss to the Tea Steam on Saturday.

The Belugas last qualified for the state tournament in 2020, known then as the Valley Rats. 

The franchise was formed in 2013, and since that time, the team has only qualified for the state tournament twice, and only once have they advanced to the second weekend.

Although another quick exit again this season, the Belugas raised some eyebrows on Thursday when they nearly took down No. 1 and defending champion Harrisburg.

A Dawson Mork three-run home run in the top of the sixth gave the Belugas a 4-3 lead, but Brandon couldn’t hold it. With the bases loaded and the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth, Harrisburg batter Gus Radel was hit by a pitch thrown by reliever Noah Verdoorn, and the Woodies escaped with a 5-4 win. 

Team manager Jaxon Haase pitched 8.1 innings and threw 127 pitches in a fairly persistent drizzle throughout the night. He put Verdoorn in to hopefully get the Belugas out of the jam with one runner on. Brandon intentionally walked two to load the bases, and then the HBP ended the game.

“It was raining, the mound was super wet, my cleats weighed five pounds apiece,” Haase said. “I really shouldn’t have put him (Verdoorn) in that situation.”