SALEM – Lake Norden-Badger wiped out one big deficit, but it couldn’t quite erase the other in a 16-11 season-ending loss to Elk Point-Jefferson during the State B American Legion Baseball Tournament Monday night.

EPJ, which defeated Lake Norden-Badger 2-0 to open the tourney last Friday, built an eight-run lead and appeared to be in total control.

LN-B then roared back with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the score. George Jensen delivered the big blow with a grand slam home run. Tyson Stevenson and Lane Tvedt also had RBI hits in the frame.

However, Elk Point-Jefferson surged back ahead with sixth runs in the top of the sixth inning. Lake Norden-Badger cut the deficit in half with three runs in the bottom half of the inning as Cristian Rodriguez and Tvedt plated runs, but the squad could get no closer. EPJ tacked on two more runs in the seventh for the final margin of difference.

“In the game Friday against EPJ there were two unearned runs scored the entire game with hits hard to come by,” said Lake Norden-Badger coach Brad Noem. “Three days later there were 27 hits and 27 runs.”

LN-B had three more hits in the contest, but was hampered by seven errors.

“Two really good hitting teams tonight,” Noem said, “we just had too many miscues which cost us.”

Ethan Bovill finished with four hits, drove in three runs, and scored four times to lead Elk Point-Jefferson, which will face Parkston in today’s championship. Unbeaten EPJ handed Parkston its only tourney loss 10-6 last Saturday.

Jensen had three hits and knocked in four, while Tvedt finished with three hits and drove in a pair to lead Lake Norden-Badger. Stevenson, Dawson Noem, and Rylan Thue each added two hits.

Coach Noem was pleased with the way his players fought back during the contest.

“As always, I was happy with the response by our kids and their resilience to battle through,” Noem said.

Elk Point-Jefferson 313 106 2 – 16 12 2

Lake Norden-Badger 000 803 0 – 11 15 7

Kayden Moore, Ethan Bovill (3), Jace Shatswell (4), Ty Trometer (4) and Grayson Girard; Dawson Noem, Turner Stevenson (4), Lane Tvedt (5), Rylan Thue (6) and Cristian Rodriguez. 2B – Elk Point-Jefferson, Ashton Fairbanks, Shatswell, Keaton Gale, Trometer; Lake Norden-Badger, Tvedt 2, George Jensen. 3B – Elk Point-Jefferson, Bovill. HR – Lake Norden-Badger, Jensen.