The BOLD Junior American Legion baseball team secured a hard‑fought 5‑4 victory over top‑seeded Granite Falls on Tuesday at Richter Field, moving into the championship bracket of the South Central Sub‑State tournament.
A tight contest at Richter Field
BOLD struck first, plating three runs in the opening inning before adding two more in the third. The lead held as Granite Falls rallied late, scoring once in the sixth and three in the seventh, but the comeback fell short.
Right‑hander Grady Weigsheid delivered a strong outing, allowing just one hit over 5 ⅔ innings, striking out nine and walking four while surrendering a single unearned run.
At the plate, Colton Baumgartner went 3‑for‑4, contributing to the offense, while Gunnar Fagen added two doubles and two RBIs for Granite Falls.
What’s at stake
The win places BOLD in a Saturday showdown at 11 a.m. in Redwood Falls, where a victory would clinch a berth at the state tournament scheduled for August 7‑9 in Parkers Prairie. Should BOLD lose the first game, a second contest is slated for 1 p.m.
Granite Falls, now facing an elimination game at 7 p.m. Friday in Redwood Falls, will meet the winner of the No. 3 Madison versus No. 6 Canby matchup.
Earlier in the week, Madison routed the MACCRAY Patriots 16‑0, with Carter Moen going 4‑for‑4 and Ryan Bjerke delivering a double, a triple, three runs and two RBIs. Meanwhile, Canby opened its elimination game with a five‑run first inning en route to a 15‑7 win over Montevideo.
Both Madison and Canby are set to collide at 5 p.m. Friday in Redwood Falls, a contest that will determine the opponent for Granite Falls later that evening.