Shanley shows toughness in win over Dickinson – Jamestown Sun

Read Time:3 Minute, 7 Second

JAMESTOWN — Despite Fargo Shanley starter Jordan Leininger suffering from an ankle injury that put his status for the start against the Dickinson Midgets in doubt, the sophomore toughed it out to pitch a complete game while allowing only four hits to power his team to a 5-2 win in the semifinals of the 2022 NDHSAA State Tournament at Jack Brown Stadium.

“I’ve played through a lot of injuries before and it’s just a game but it’s a game that I love playing and I’ll do anything to play sports,” Leininger said. “Sports are my getaway.”

Shanley had a big top of the first inning when Thomas Simon hit a single to center to score Samuel Ovsak and make it a 1-0 game. Later in the inning, the Deacons’ Landon Meier singled up the middle to score Simon and Avery Haus tried to score but he was gunned out at the plate to keep it at 2-0.

“We got some hits right away and were able to plate some people,” Deacons head coach Lucas Rustad said. “Obviously we got someone thrown out at the plate but when you put pressure on them right away in the first inning in a state tournament game, it’s important to get off to a good start and put the pressure on their pitcher right away to make pitches. We did a good job of getting out in front and Jordan did a good job pitching.”

The Deacons added to their lead in the second when Leininger hit a double off the wall in left to score Ovsak and push the lead out to 3-0.

The Midgets cut into the lead in the bottom of the second when Isaac Daley turned on one and sent it over the right-field wall to make it 3-1.

“It wasn’t big enough but (Daley’s) swinging the bat really well,” Midgets head coach Pete Dobitz said. “I was glad to see that he got another one. We couldn’t put multiple hits together and we couldn’t get multiple runners on base. We need to get multiple runners on if we’re going to play the style of baseball we want to play with bunting and that kind of stuff.”

The Deacons added on when Adam Leininger came home on a wild pitch to stretch the lead out to 4-1. Jordan Leininger hit a ball to left that was deep enough to score Simon and push the lead out to 5-1.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Midgets continued to fight back when Aiden Haich hit a single to the shortstop, Simon, that couldn’t be fielded cleanly which allowed Berg to score and cut the deficit to 5-2.

SHS 5, DHS 2

SHS: 2 1 0 2 0 0 0–5 7 1

DHS: 0 1 0 0 1 0–2 4 1

WP: Jordan Leininger LP: Isaac Daley

First and Second round Bracket below:

06/02

G1: W1 Bismarck Century 1, E4 Shanley 4

G2: E2 Wahpeton 3, W3 Dickinson 6

G3: W2 Minot 10, E3 Fargo North 5,

G4: E1 West Fargo Sheyenne 10 W4 Jamestown 3

06/03

G5: W1 Bismarck Century 3, E2 Wahpeton 1