Sean Williams/MDN The Surrey Mustangs celebrate on Tuesday night at Corbett Field as the team caps off a perfect run through the Region VI tournament and will head to the Class B state tournament.

On Tuesday night, the stage was set for the Region VI championship as the Surrey Mustangs and Bishop Ryan Lions faced off with a bid to the upcoming state tournament on the line. These teams matched up twice in the regular seasons, with the Mustangs winning both games.

In the postseason, however, there’s always a different feel and it can be anyone’s game. The Mustangs entered the championship with a perfect run in the tournament up to this point, while playing sound baseball. The Lions went from being in a play in game, to dropping their first game of the tournament to the Mustangs and propelling themselves to the championship.

Surrey was the No. 2 seed in the tournament and has been clicking at the right time. Including the regular season and tournament play up to the championship, they have won 13 out of their last 14 games and were looking to claim their biggest win of the season thus far.

The stakes were high at a crowded Corbett Field on Tuesday night, and it was the Surrey Mustangs who can now call themselves the 2022 Region VI tournament champions as they beat the Bishop Ryan Lions 7-4, earning themselves a spot in the upcoming Class B state tournament.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Mustangs got moving right away. Kanoa Munos walked to start things off, which followed with a Kekoa Munos single as they looked to attack early. Coltan Francis tripled to deep left field, driving in both and just like that the Mustangs jumped out to a 2-0 lead. They weren’t done there, as they would add one more run when Francis came home to score on an error to make it 3-0.

At this point, the Mustangs had all the momentum on their side, and they were looking to continue to build off that. They would do so in the bottom of the third inning by putting three runs on the board again.

William Mayo reached on a fielder’s choice and Noah Erickson was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with one out. Mayo and Erickson would steal second and third base, putting the Mustangs in an opportune position to add to their lead.

Wyatt Fimreite reached on an error that allowed Mayo to score, giving the Mustangs a 4-0 lead. Evan Pursifull followed that up by plating two runs on a single and now the Mustangs owned a commanding 6-0 lead through three innings.

The Mustangs, however, wouldn’t stop there. In the bottom of the fourth inning, they would add one more run which would be their final run of the evening. Coltan Francis reached base on an error and advanced to second on another error. Francis would then steal third to put himself closer to home with no outs in the frame. He stole home to score, giving the Mustangs a 7-0 lead.

Fimreite was the starting pitcher for the Mustangs on Tuesday night, and he was excellent. He gave up a single to start the game but would settle in and not allow the Lions to build many scoring threats.

Through four innings, Fimreite would only allow two runners to move beyond second base. In the top of the fourth, the Lions seemed ready to put their first run on the board when Brady Feller tripled to start the inning. Fimreite walked Drew Zwak but got a flyout and an inning-ending double play to escape the jam and keep the Lions off the scoreboard.

This was the first threat the Lions were able to put together and with them coming up empty, Fimreite kept the Mustangs in a great position to get the win. Through five innings of work, he only allowed five hits and no runs, cancelling anything the Lions put together.

Fimreite finished his day throwing five and two-thirds innings, while allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits, three walks, and three strikeouts.

Scratching and clawing their way back was a theme for the Lions in the Region VI tournament and that would again prove to be true in this one. In the top of the sixth inning, they were finally able to push through and break their scoreless drought in the game.

Josh Will and Brady Feller had back-to-back singles to start the frame and Ramsey Walz walked to load the bases with no outs. Drew Zwak singled, scoring two on the play and the Lions trimmed the lead to five runs at 7-2.

Teagan Coonrod reached on a fielder’s choice and Jett Lundeen would reach on an error to load the bases with two outs. A balk caused Zwak to score and Coonrod scored on a wild pitch, making it a 7-4 Surrey lead. That would be all the Lions could string together in the sixth inning and with one opportunity left, it seemed like they had one last fight left in them.

The rally in the sixth inning, however, would bring the game to its final score of 7-4, as Surrey got two strikeouts and a fly out to finish the job and claim the Region VI title.

Coltan Francis led the way for the Mustangs, going 1-for-4 with a triple and two RBI. Evan Pursifull went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and Kekoa Munos went 2-for-4 to help boost the team to victory.

For the Lions, Brady Feller went 3-for-4 with a triple, Drew Zwak went 1-for-2 with a walk and two RBIs, and Colton Feller went 1-for-3 at the dish. Carson Merck threw three innings, only allowing one run (zero earned) on one hit, three walks, and zero strikeouts.

For the first time since 2002, the Surrey Mustangs will head to the Class B state tournament. The tournament will take place at Fargo’s Newman Outdoor Field and will run from June 2 to June 4. The Mustangs will look to claim their first state title since 1993.

Surrey 7, Bishop Ryan 4

BR 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 – 4 7 6

SR 3 0 3 1 0 0 X – 7 4 2

WIN: Eby (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K). LOSS: None; 2 OR MORE HITS: BR – B. Feller. SR – Ke. Munos; DOUBLES: None; TRIPLES: BR – B. Feller. SR – Francis; 2 OR MORE RBIs: BR – Zwak. SR – Francis, Pursifull.