MANDAN - Four errors. Ten walks. Two hit batters. Four pitchers used.
It wasn't an ideal start to the American Legion Class A state baseball tournament Wednesday for the Williston Keybirds.
The third-seeded Grand Forks Royals happily accepted the Keybirds' charity, winning 11-1 in eight innings.
Article Photos
Daniel Allar/MDN • Williston first baseman Josh Solem awaits a throw from catcher Lane Huck to complete a double play against Grand Forks at the American Legion Class A state tournament Wednesday in Mandan. Grand Forks' Nick Moe was out at first.
"It was kind of the same thing all year," Williston coach Chip Devlin said. "Walks and errors just gobbles us up."
Grand Forks center fielder Mitchell Anderson went 2-for-3, including a home run in the bottom of the first inning to lead the Royals' 11-hit performance.
The Royals scored three runners and stranded three more in the fourth as Williston starter Jeff Beckman struggled with his control. He walked four in the inning.
Jacob Brokaw walked three and recorded just one out before being yanked for Trenton Hove, who tossed three complete innings. Isaac Black finished the game for Williston.
"If you waste four pitchers the first game, you know you have serious trouble coming," said Devlin, whose team is without pitcher Cory Vinger for the tournament. "We knew before we started what was gonna happen - if one guy has a problem at all, we're in trouble."
Vinger is attending a family wedding this week.
The No. 6 seed Keybirds were sloppy in the field as well. Three of their four errors came in a four-run fifth inning for Grand Forks.
Grand Forks had just three more hits than Williston (11-8), but that wasn't reflected in the runs column. Williston scored its lone run in the first inning and stranded exactly one runner in each of the next seven innings.
"If you give 11 walks and four errors, that just hands 'em too much," Devlin said. "Nobody's gonna miss out on that. We just screwed it up."
Josh Solem went 2-for-4 for Williston and Lane Huck had an RBI single.
Williston plays at 8 tonight and Grand Forks plays West Fargo on Friday. Williston's opponent will be the loser of today's game between No. 9 Dickinson and No. 7 Mandan. No. 2 West Fargo beat Mandan 12-2.