The Velva 39ers Legion team won a pair of games against the Minot Metros on Wednesday, June 10, claiming the opener 7-5 before completing the non-conference sweep with a 9-6 victory in the nightcap at Corbett Field.

The 39ers held off a late comeback attempt in the opener before scoring late in the finale.

The 39ers plated three runs in the third to take the lead for good and added three more in the sixth to provide just enough relief to come away with the victory in the opener. The Metros took a short-lived 2-1 lead in the second on RBI singles from Grady Weppler and Cole Deaver before Velva came right back with a two-out rally in the third.

The 39ers (4-2) loaded the bases with two outs following back-to-back walks by Kason Larsen and Peyton Weidler. An error at shortstop off the bat of Eric Ulland allowed the inning to continue and brought in Larsen and Mason Kraft. Weidler would score on a wild pitch later in the inning.

The Metros (6-3) got a run in the fourth on an RBI single from Owen Sundahl to cut Velva’s advantage to 4-3, but another three-running inning by the 39ers in the sixth pushed their lead to four, their largest of the contest.

Another Minot error proved costly, leading to Velva’s fifth run. Singles from Tucker Wilson and Cooper Kittleson and a walk to Jack Passa loaded the bases with no outs. An error in left field off the bat of Reese Steffen allowed Wilson to score from third. Kraft brought in another run, walking with the bases loaded. Wesley Nickelson plated Kittleson on an RBI fielder’s choice to shortstop to put Velva in front, 7-3.

Minot got a run back in the sixth on a sac fly from Brady Vigested, but the inning ended on the same play when Henry Woodbeck was thrown out at second after attempting to tag from first to advance a base.

Weppler scored on a passed ball in the seventh and Carter Bush singled with two outs, bringing up Cole Deaver to represent the potential game-tying run. But Deaver grounded out to Passa on the mound to end the game.

Kason Larsen picked up the win on the mound for Velva. He went five innings, allowing three runs on nine hits, striking out two and walking three.

Passa paced Velva’s offense with a 3-for-4 game, driving in a run and scoring once. Eric Ulland and Tucker Wilson each finished with two hits. The 39ers finished with 11 hits – all singles.

Weppler finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Garrett Nikitenko doubled for the game’s lone extra-base hit as part of a two-hit game. Deaver also finished with a pair of hits, driving in a run and scoring once.

In Game 2, Velva scored five runs in the first inning, only to see the Metros score twice in the bottom half and three more times in the third to tie the contest. A single by Wilson put the 39ers back in front and Ulland scored later in the inning. Steffen added an RBI double in the sixth and an RBI single in the seventh.

The Metros threatened by putting runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of the seventh. But Henrik Evanoff was caught stealing third and Kraft struck out both Weppler and Kayden Danielson to end the game.

Wilson and Steffen both finished with two hits and two RBIs.

Nikitenko finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Ty Iverson collected two hits and scored twice.