Velva-Drake/Anamoose Aggie senior shortstop Cooper Kittleson fires a ball to first base to secure the second out of the top of the second inning in their Region Championship game against the Bishop Ryan-Nedrose Lions at Corbett Field on Thursday, May 21. Nathan Beitler/MDN

The Velva/Drake-Anamoose Aggies took home the Region 6 Championship title with their decisive victory over the Bishop Ryan/Nedrose Lions on Thursday, May 21.

The Lions first fell to the Aggies earlier in the Region Tournament semifinals to the Aggies 2-1. The Lions had their chance at redemption as they faced off against the Garrison Troopers for the first game of the night on Thursday.

The Lions had an explosive first inning against the Troopers, bringing nine runners across home plate to give them a 9-2 lead.

The Troopers were unable to keep up, scoring just three more runs before the conclusion of the game at the end of the top of the fifth inning.

The Lions scored in every inning of the game, closing out the game with 18 runs on 11 hits and 10 RBIs.

Though the Lions had fought their way back to the championship game, the Aggies were quick to take charge.

The Aggies had senior Mason Kraft on the pitcher’s mound in the Region Championship, and while he was able to secure seven strikeouts and allowed just four hits, the rest of the Aggies’ defense helped keep the Lions from reaching home plate.

Junior Wesley Nickelson kicked off the night for the Aggies with his two-run RBI double into left field in the bottom of the first. The Aggies did not see another runner cross home plate until the bottom of the third inning when senior Reese Steffen scored on an error at shortstop by the Lions. The Aggies scored just once more before the Lions could close out the inning.

The Aggies put up three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and another three in the bottom of the fifth.

The game was called after the bottom of the fifth inning, with senior Reese Steffen finishing the night with his RBI single to center field.

With the Aggies’ victory, they have cemented themselves as the Region 6 Champions and have punched their ticket to the 2026 Class B Baseball State Championship.