Casselton scored a run in the top of the fifth to break a 1-1 tie, then held off a seventh inning rally by Valley City to beat the Royals 4-3 in the final game of the State Class A Legion Baseball Tournament at Valley Process Technologies Field in Casselton.

Valley City scored first in the bottom of the first. With one out, Trevor Fetsch hit a grounder to the left side, Haymaker third baseman Keagan Peterson dove for and it bounced off his glove. Peterson was charged with an error. Jack Samuelson then popped out to the catcher, one pitch after nearly hitting a two run home run down the left field line. Fetsch would steal second, then scored when Parker Roelfsema’s hard grounder to was misplayed by the Peterson at third for his second error of the inning. James Schwehr flew out to left field to end the inning. 

Casselton would tie the game at 1-1 in the third when Carter Maasjo hit into a 6-4-3 double play, scoring  Brody Kegley who led off the inning with a single. 

The Haymakers would take the lead in the top of the third. Jack Everson and Logan Braaten would each reach base by being hit by a pitch. Maasjo singled to center field to load the bases. After Ryan Aasmundstad popped out, Pederson hit a come-backer to pitcher Bryson Heck who throw home to get the force, then Corbyn Powell’s throw to first hit Pederson in the back, allowing Braaten to score to give  Casselton the 2-1 lead.

They would add a run in the top of the fifth on a double by Everson, scoring Ayden Thummel who opened the inning with a walk. 

The Royals got that run back in the bottom of the sixth. Powell and Fetsch would walk to start the half inning. Samuelson line out to left. Powell tagged up and advanced to third. Roelfsema hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Powell to make it 3-2. 

Casselton scored what turned out to be a huge insurance run in the top of the seventh inning. With one out and Aasmundstad at second, Pederson doubled to center field, Aasmundstad scored from first to make it 4-2 Haymakers. That turned out to be a huge run for Casselton.

In the bottom of the seventh, Andrew Sykora led off the inning with a long home run to right center field to cut the Casselton lead to 4-3. It as Sykora’s first home run of the season. Will Schwehr nearly duplicated Sykora’s feat when he drilled the first pitch he saw to left field. The ball hit off the base of the fence for a long single. Adam Shanenko line out to right on a nice diving catch by Aasmundstad. He throw to first nearly doubled off Schwehr but it rolled away from Bryce Mueller. Heck singled to center to put runners at first and second and one out. Powell hit a grounder to shortstop Everson who tagged second to force Heck but his throw to first was late to get Powell. Fetsch then walked to load the bases for Samuelson. The Royals leading RBI producer this summer hit a liner right at shortstop Everson for the third out to end the game.

Andrew Sykora led the Royals by going 2 for 3 with a solo home run. Corbyn Powell, Will Schwehr, and Bryson Heck were all 1 for 3. Powell scored once. Trevor Fetsch scored a run and Parker Roelfsema had an RBI.

Valley City will take on Minot Friday afternoon in a loser out game. The Metros lost to Kindred 10-0 in five innings. Valley City and Minot met twice this year and the Royals swept that doubleheader 4-2 and 8-5 back on June 2nd at Charlie Brown Field.  First pitch on Friday is at 1:30 p.m.