Throughout the entirety of the American Legion baseball season, Fargo Post 2 has been the consensus best team in North Dakota, going undefeated in conference play and earning the top spot at the state tournament.

The Minot Vistas sent them home early anyway, eliminating the tournament favorite, 3-2, on July 31 and continuing their run through the loser’s bracket. Fargo Post 2 put runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Minot reliever Gannon Hedberg got Caden Nelson to ground out to second to knock out the 28-time state champion.

Offense was at a premium as starting pitchers Mason Stewart and Nelson allowed eight combined hits in their six innings of work. Stewart allowed two runs on five hits and Nelson surrendered two runs on three hits and struck out eight. The Vistas have allowed just four runs in their first two elimination games after giving up six in their opening-round loss to West Fargo.

Minot’s biggest hit for just its second of the game, and it came off the bat of Braden Nelson to lead off the fourth inning. After a lengthy battle at the plate, Nelson sent the eighth pitch of the at-bat over the left-center fence to put the Vistas ahead 2-1.

Fargo Post 2 (38-10) drew even in the fifth on an RBI double by Nelson to score Sam Ovsak all the way from first after reaching base on Stewart’s lone walk of the afternoon.

The game remained tied heading into the seventh inning as both teams went to their bullpens. Fargo Post 2 turned to Jonah DeJong, and the Vistas (33-15) were able to plate the game-winning run. Hyrum Maples drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a ground out to DeJong by Tegan Schindler. Tre Stewart came up with the deciding hit – a single down the right field line allowing Maples to score from second.

Fargo Post 2 threatened in the bottom half against Hedberg. A one-out single by Carson Shiek followed by a walk to Ovsak put runners on first and second. The Vistas recorded the second out of the inning on a ground out to shortstop by Caleb Briggeman, but moved both runners into scoring position. Hedberg kept his team’s postseason run alive and ended Fargo Post 2’s season in the process by getting Nelson to ground out to end the game.

Fargo Post 2 ended the season with three consecutive losses, dropping its regular-season finale to West Fargo before being stunned by tenth-seeded Mandan in the opening round to drop them into the loser’s bracket. Fargo Post 2 scored just four runs in 14 innings at the state tournament after outsourcing their opponents 141-17 during conference play.

Despite the win, Minot’s season would come to an end later in the day, dropping a 5-1 decision to Dickinson.