Hi-Liners fall to conference leading Packers

West Fargo scored five runs in the first two innings on the way to an 8-3 win over Valley City in Eastern Dakota Conference baseball Monday at Charlie Brown Memorial Field.

The Packers scored three runs in the top of the first to take a 3-0 lead. The Packers started the game with five straight hits. Jaden Grefsrud and Matt Heupel had back to back rbi singles. Aiden Wolf drove in a run when he hit into a fielder's choice.

West Fargo scored two more runs in the second inning on Seth Wigestrand's sacrifice fly and Griffin Staahl's run-scoring single to take a 5-0.

The Hi-Liners got a run back in the bottom of the second inning. Joe Cumminge led off with a single. He moved to third on Broden Muske's double. After a walk to Devyn Thornton, Kai Kringlie hit into a 5-4-3 double play. Cummings would score on the pay cutting the Packers lead to 5-1.

Valley City would get to within two in the third inning. Max Mehus led off with a single to left. Ethan Miller laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line. West Fargo pitcher Brady Medina's throw was wide of first and got by first baseman Peyton Jantzi. Mehus would reach third and Miller got to second. Gavin Gerhardt singled in Mehus and Braxton Jorissen scored Miller with a single to left to make it 5-3 Packers.

The score would stay that way until the Packers scored a run in the sixth on Staahl's ground out. They would add two more in the seventh on an rbi single by Eastin Heisler and an rbi double by Mason Stoelting.

Relief pitcher Tanner Larson would shut down the Hi-Liners from there on. He allowed one hit and struck out two in four shutout innings.

Miller, Gerhardt, Jorissen, Cummings, Muske and Mehus had one hit apiece for Valley City.

The Hi-Liners are now 3-5 in the EDC and 5-7 overall. Valley City. The Hi-Liners will wrap up the regular season with road games at Fargo Davies on Thursday and Fargo Shanley on Friday.