DEVILS LAKE, N.D. -- The scoreboard over the fence in right-center field went blank at times Thursday night at Devils Lake Legion Field.
There was no need to look at the scoreboard when the game between Minot and Jamestown was completed.
Body language told the tale.
The Minot bench stormed home plate, while Jamestown slowly walked off the field.
Josh Heilman delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Vistas to a 7-6 victory in the second round of the North Dakota Class A American Legion state baseball tournament.
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"It was a great game," Jamestown coach Kevin Berg said. "It was a great game to watch, it was a great game to be a part of. Both teams battled."
Eastern Division top seed Jamestown (45-12) is scheduled to play Bismarck at 4 p.m. today in loser-out play. Minot (43-22)
is slated to play Fargo at 7 p.m. in a battle of the final two undefeated teams in the tournament.
"That is probably the biggest question. How are we going to bounce back from this?" Berg asked. "They had their sights set high and we've got a loss here on the second day. We'll have to see."
The final inning started innocently for the Eagles as reliever Jason Schutt retired the first two batters.
But Minot first baseman Casey Deutsch was hit by a 3-2 pitch after falling behind 0-2 early in the count.
That brought Heilman to the plate. Schutt's first pitch was in the dirt and went to the backstop, allowing Deutsch to advance to second base.
Heilman smashed the next pitch, a Schutt fastball, down the third-base line. Jamestown third baseman John Ness tried to field the ball on his backhand, but the shot ricocheted off his glove and into left field.
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Deutsch scored from second with the winning run, setting off a Minot celebration. Heilman was 0-for-4 heading into his final plate appearance.
"I like the fastball better," Heilman said. "When (Schutt) throws fastballs for strikes they're right there. You have to wait for your pitch."
Jamestown 100 201 200 0-- 6 11 1
Minot 300 010 200 1-- 7 13 0
Ness, Schutt (8) and Waleri. Sherven, Gudmunson (7) and Steele. W--Gudmunson (3-3) L--Schutt (7-3). HR--Jamestown, Johnson. Minot, Lundeen.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Eric Peterson at (701) 241-5513
