FARGO, N.D. – The Aberdeen Smittys exploded for 20 runs while allowing just one in sweeping a twinbill from Fargo Davies in American Legion baseball action Monday.
The Smittys took the opener 7-1 before rolling to a 13-0 victory in the second contest.
Brock Martin struck out 12 batters in six innings of work and allowed just two hits in the opener.
“Brock Martin gave us a great start in game one. He threw a lot of strikes and commanded his off-speed well,” said Smittys coach Brandon Kusler. “It took us a bit to get our bats going, but we eventually found it and carried that into game two.”
Aberdeen took control in the fourth inning when it scored four runs. Andrew Woehl drove in a pair, while Nick Clemens and Phillip Zens each plated one.
The Smittys added a pair of runs in the sixth, one coming on an RBI triple by Jaiden Smith, and another in the seventh when Casey Vining tripled and scored on a ground out.
Vining finished with three hits (a double and two triples) in the win, while Woehl knocked in three runs.
“Casey Vining had a great day at the plate with three extra-base hits in game one,” Kusler said.
Aberdeen scored seven runs in the third inning and three times each in the fourth and fifth frames of the nightcap.
Vining and Brenden Livermont each had two-run singles to highlight the third, while Smith drove in one with a double.
Martin had an RBI single and Vining a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and Vining drove in another run in the fifth.
Josh Steinwandt had seven strikeouts in five shutout innings on the mound.
“Josh Steinwandt gave us another great start in game two,” Kusler said. “The second game was an all-around full team effort. There’s a lot of good things happening.”
The Smittys will host Lake Norden in a noon doubleheader Saturday at Fossum Field.
Aberdeen Smittys 000 402 1 – 7 10 0
Fargo Davies 000 001 0 – 1 2 0
Brock Martin, Nick Clemens (7) and Andrew Richardson; Wyatt Kosidowski, Deibert (6), Sikkink (7) and Chase. 2B – Aberdeen Smittys, Casey Vining, Clemens; Fargo Davies, Nelson. 3B – Aberdeen Smittys, Vining 2, Jaiden Smith.
Aberdeen Smittys 007 33 – 13 8 3
Fargo Davies 000 00 – 0 2 2
Josh Steinwandt and Andrew Woehl; Ebeling, Honer (6) and Deibert. 2B – Aberdeen Smittys, Vining.