Sue Sitter/PCT Rugby’s Brody Schneibel tags first base in time for an out against Cando’s Zach Jorde in the final game of the American Legion District 3 Baseball Tournament July 22.

Rugby’s American Legion Post 23 baseball team may not have Panthers as its official name, but the squad clawed its way from fifth seed to just short of the Legion District 3 Champion title July 22.

Rugby went into post-season play at Bottineau’s Lumberyard on the Dakota College at Bottineau campus with only three wins. In the last game for Post 23 team in the regular season, Rugby met Rolla, falling 4-3.

The tournament opener went much the same way. Rugby again faced Rolla, then lost a close one, 7-6 on July 18.

Rugby had a shot at the championship, but only if it won every game in the second-chance bracket.

The team did just that.

After rain pushed the tournament back one day, Pitcher Brody Schneibel and the Rugby team faced Bottineau, winning with an 11-0 shutout in five innings.

Later that day, Rugby faced Rolla once again.

This time, Rugby saw very different results, winning a well-executed game 9-1. Rugby batters Ripplinger, Brady Schock and Macen Heisler put runs across the plate, while the defense held Rolla back to one run batted in by Mitchell Wibe.

Rugby’s outfield stayed busy, too. Center fielder Heisler and left fielder Gavin Schepp collided in mid-air while attempting a catch. Heisler stayed on the ground for a few minutes before walking off the field.

“I think he’ll be okay,” Assistant Coach Greg Foster said after the game.

Of Rugby’s battle back to the final rounds, Foster said, “The biggest thing is we had so many problems with errors this season, with ground balls rolling past and things like that.

“We didn’t commit errors, and that’s a big step in the right direction,” he added. “And number two was we just had base runners on base every inning, which puts pressure on the other team.”

Next for Rugby came the Velva 39ers, a team that had fallen by one run to tournament favorites Cando in a defensive game. Heisler returned to his position in center field.

Rugby went on the attack early in the game, with Ripplinger, Logan Harner and Heisler batting for three runs in the first inning.

Rugby batters continued to make the most of pitches from Velva’s Colin Dean. Heisler batted in two more runs, followed by runs batted in by Brody Schneibel and Ripplinger.

Despite a pitching change for Velva, walks and RBIs kept coming for Rugby. The Post 23 team had a 12-0 lead.

A missed pop fly hit by Dean would bring Velva’s lone run in at the top of the third inning.

Rugby held its lead, ending the game in five innings.

The Post 23 team went into a two-round championship game against top-seeded Cando Post 79 to decide the District 3 winner.

Hitting streak continues

Rugby’s hitting streak continued in the first round against Cando, just 40 minutes after the win against Velva.

Heisler led off the Rugby offensive with an RBI double in the first inning after batter Logan Harner walked.

Batter Erik Foster brought another one home with a sacrifice fly.

Cando would answer with an RBI single by Hunter Hagler. A double by Cando’s Garrett Westlind brought in another, followed by an RBI from Cando’s Landon Monge.

With a 3-2 Cando lead in the third inning, Harner led Rugby’s batting offense with a base hit. Ripplinger followed with another one, moving Harner to third base. Brody Schneibel walked to first, loading the bases. Foster batted in two runs with a double to center field, and Rugby led the game again.

The game saw Ripplinger reach his pitching limit. Schneibel had long since hit his limit, and Foster soon reached his maximum allowed for the game.

Gavin Schepp would step to the mound, landing strikeouts as Cando continued to threaten.

Heisler landed at first after a Cando fielding error. He crossed home plate on a Ripplinger double.

Dane Hagler answered with an RBI for Cando, narrowing Rugby’s lead to 5-4. Next came a grounder by Zach Jorde to tie the game 5-5.

Walks and a base hit by Austin Schneibel for Rugby put two runners on base. Foster loaded the bases with a single.

Austin and Brody’s oldest brother Cole stepped to bat and walked, bringing the lead across home plate for Rugby. Another walk followed.

Harner batted in two more, giving Rugby a 9-5 lead. Brody Schneibel followed with two more RBIs. Schock brought another one home.

Rugby had a 12-5 lead before Cando stepped to the plate.

Walks put two on base, then a catcher interference call put a runner on third. Dane Hagler cleared the bases, cutting Rugby’s lead to 12-8.

Rugby struggled to get traction in the last two innings. Cando methodically whittled away at Rugby’s lead.

Rugby held onto its lead, scratching the way to a 12-11 win at the end of the game.

In the final tournament round July 22, Rugby saw more struggles to gain traction.

Cando’s hitters found gaps far away from Rugby players. The Post 79 team led 7-0 by the end of the first inning.

Rugby sent Schepp and Austin Schneibel to the mound. Both had been used to playing other positions during the season.

Cando stretched its lead to 14-0 before Harner landed a line drive, loading the bases after two walks. Foster hit a sacrifice fly for Rugby’s lone run.

The 14-1 Cando win gave the post the district win and a berth in the state tournament in Garrison July 25.

“We played well in the tournament,” Rugby Head Coach David Schneibel said at the tournament’s end. “This is the team we battled in the high school season as well, so we knew what we were up against.

“Losing that first game of the tournament hurt us a little bit because we ran out of pitchers,” he added. “We were down to our fifth and sixth pitchers in the last game.

“But,” he said, “We played well. This is the kind of ball we were expecting to play all year. It took us until the tournament to find it, but the tournament’s a good time to peak.

“We came in as the fifth seed and came up second,” he added. “Anytime you play better than your seed, it’s a good tournament.”