Firechiefs Advance to District Tourney Championship

The Milbank Firechiefs are headed to the championship game of the District 1 Amateur Baseball Tournament. Milbank faces Clark on Saturday, July 29, at 7 p.m. in Lake Norden.

The Chiefs defeated the Castlewood Monarchs 6-5 to advance to the title game. Milbank was set to take on Sisseton in the opening round of district play on July 22, but advanced after Sisseton forfeited. The Chiefs then faced Castlewood on Sunday, July 23, and came away with the victory.

Castlewood got on the scoreboard first with a run in the opening inning. Milbank came back with one run in the third to knot up the game at 1-1. The Chiefs increased their lead to 3-1 with two runs in the fifth. Milbank added two runs in the seventh inning to take a 5-1 advantage. Their lead lasted until Castlewood belted in four runs in the ninth inning to even the score at 5-5.

In the Firechiefs final at-bat, Lance Frogner delivered with a lead off single. He advanced to second base on a passed ball. Tony Hofman was walked. Taylor Boerger scored Frogner with the game-winning RBI single.

Milbank scored its six runs on 11 hits. Frogner and Jesse Krause led the Firechiefs with three hits each. Hofman followed with two hits. Boerger, Jacob Jackson, and Brady Krause added one hit apiece for the Chiefs. Boerger also earned the pitching win for Milbank. He struck out 18 batters, gave up seven hits, five runs, and four walks.

File photo of Taylor Boerger.