ENDERLIN, N.D. - It's been a long time since Northern Cass has played in a region baseball championship. But judging by the Jaguars performance on Wednesday, they'll feel right at home.
Jaguars ace Taylor Kyllo pitched a complete game to hold Enderlin-Maple Valley to four hits and two walks en route to a 7-1 victory over the Falcons in the North Dakota Class B, Region 1 semifinals at Hendrickson Field.
"We as a team played really well today. It wasn't just me." Kyllo said. "I was throwing good at the plate and had the opportunity, and we got it done."
Kyllo faced one batter more than the minimum and collected six of his 12 strikeouts through the first three innings. He also drove in two runs and had two hits.
Kyllo's first hit - a one-run single - came in the third inning and drove in left fielder Michael Goodman, who reached on single. Jack Backer followed with a double that sailed over the center fielder's head to drive in Kyllo and Goodman and put the Jaguars up 4-0.
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In the seventh inning, Kyllo drove the second pitch from Daniel Lindgren over the right-field fence.
Backer, Jerricoh Hansen and Austin Becker each had base hits that same inning, and Ethan Becker ripped a one-run double to help the Jaguars secure the 7-1 win and advance to the championship game against Central Cass today.
"(Kyllo) was around the plate, hitting the corners and changing speeds ... he did a nice job today," head coach Ron Leraas said. "It's been a few years since we've had the opportunity to play for the championship, but I think these guys are up to the task. We had a nice game, but we gotta get mentally prepared to face (Central Cass).
The Falcons had reached the semifinals after defeating LaMoure-Litchville-Marion in the quarterfinals earlier Wednesday.
Matt Luther lit the fuse of a dormant Falcons offense with a line drive that sailed 325 feet over the center-field fence to start a rally that produced eight runs off 10 hits. Gillund followed with his second double to score Daniel Lindgren and top the Loboes 13-3 after six innings.
The Falcons lost to the Loboes in the first round of the tournament.
"Eventually he threw the right pitch, and I got a hold of it," Luther said of his home run. As a team we really came to bat ... it was a good win."
Gillund added: "Like they say, hitting is contagious. I think he slowed down a bit and we got some hits and made the plays. It's fundamentals that wins ball games."
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Enderlin-Maple Valley 13,
LaMoure-Litchville-Marion 3
LLM 102 000 - 3 0 0
EMV 002 803 -13 13 1
Huus and Lindemann. B. Thielges and Olson. W-Huus. L-B. Thielges.
Northern Cass 7, Enderlin-Maple Valley 1
NC 004 000 3-7 12 1
EMV 000 100 0-1 4 0
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Kyllo and Hayden. Gillund, D. Lingren (7) and Lindemann. W-Kyllo. L-Gillund.
Readers can reach Forum reporter
Glenn Pursley at (701) 241-5549
