Ada-Borup-West vs. Norman County East/Ulen-Hitterdal

Recap

Ada-Borup-West 3, Norman County East/Ulen-Hitterdal 0

Austin McCraven pitched a two-hit shutout with ten strikeouts and also had two hits and a run batted in as a hitter as Ada-Borup-West eliminated Norman County East/Ulen-Hitterdal 3-0 Saturday in the consolation round of the Section 8A baseball tournament at Bemidji State University.

NCE/U-H got a runner to third base in each of the first two innings, but those runners were left stranded.

Ada-Borup-West got on the board in the third inning when with one out, Brennen Fetting reached on an infield single.  He went to second when Cameron Spaeth walked.  Then with two out, McCraven singled to right to score Fetting and give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.

The Cougars scored again in the fifth.  Spaeth led off with a walk and stole second.  After the next two batters were retired, Lance Kritzberger pinch-hit for Wyatt Larson and delivered an rbi single to left and reached second on an error by the left fielder.  The next batter, Barron Odden, singled to center and Kritzberger scored on a close play at home plate to make it 3-0.

McCraven (5-2) allowed just two hits and two walks with ten strikeouts.

Drew Jacobson took the loss for the Titans.  The senior pitched 4.2 innings, allowing four hits, two runs, two walks with five strikeouts.  Reed Klemetson pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing four hits, one run (no earned runs), with one strikeout.

Following the game, NCE/U-H Coach Mark Hemberger told R&J Broadcasting’s Tom Lano that he would be stepping down as varsity baseball coach to coach his daughter in junior high softball next year.

Ada-Borup-West (13-6) will now take on Lake of the Woods or East Marshall in another elimination game Tuesday afternoon at Bemidji State.  The season ends for Norman County East/Ulen-Hitterdal with a 17-7 record.

Postgame comments from ABW Coach Mike Erickson: