Prep Baseball: Wolverines gain split to snap 22-game skid with ‘Jackets

The Wadena-Deer Creek baseball team wound up with a split of the Mid-State Conference doubleheader with Perham on Monday, winning the opener 5-2 before losing the nightcap 9-2.

For Wadena-Deer Creek Head Coach Kyle Dykhoff and the Wolverines, they’ll be more than happy to take the split. That’s because they accomplished one of their primary goals this season, and that was to snap a 22-game losing streak against the rival Yellowjackets

“It feels good to finally beat Perham,” Dykhoff said. “It was one of those games that we circled on the calendar when the schedule first came out.”

Kevin Tumberg started on the hill for the Wolverines in game one and threw three innings of shutout baseball before the Yellowjackets Jesse Hein drove in a run with a single to trim the Wolverines lead to 2-1. The senior ended up striking out six and walked two in seven solid innings for the win.

“The guys played solid defense behind Tumberg,” Dykhoff said.

Wadena-Deer Creek added three insurance runs in the sixth as seniors Cody Redfield scored a run with a sacrifice fly and Tyler Wohlwend drove in a run with a single.

Jake and Derrick Rude both collected two hits apiece for the Wolverines, who scattered seven hits off Taylor Doll for the victory.

Ben Brill tallied the Yellowjackets second run with an RBI double in the seventh.

Hein erupted at the plate for Perham in the nightcap, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and five runs batted in as the Yellowjackets used a six-run, second inning outburst to cruise to the 9-2 decision.

The sophomore had a two-run shot in the first inning and highlighted the six-run second with a three-run homer.

The ‘Jackets beat up on the Wolverine pitching staff, rattling off nine hits with Brad Ellingson collecting two extra base hits—a double and a solo homer—and drove in a pair of runs. David Alstadt was 2-for-3 and Jon Langlie went 2-for-2

‘Jacket starter TJ Studer worked six innings on the mound to earn the win. Andrew Muer struck out the order in his one inning of relief.

Tumberg drove in the Wolverines two runs in the first inning on a single. Jake Rude had two doubles and scored a run as the Wolverines collected six hits in the loss.

“Credit to Perham for great defense in game two,” Dykhoff said. “We played well with the exception of giving up a six-run second inning.”

Ryan Redfield started for Wadena-Deer Creek but was driven from the hill after one out in the second inning for the loss. David Najjar came in to finish for the Wolverines.

Wadena-Deer Creek (9-8) will wrap up the regular season with a non-conference game at Pelican Rapids at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday (June 1).

Wadena-Deer Creek at Perham on May 24
Wolverines 5, Yellowjackets 2 (Game One)
Wadena-Deer Creek 1 1 0 0 3 0 0—5 7 1
Perham 0 0 0 1 0 0 1—2 6 1
WP: Kevin Tumberg (WDC) (7IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 6K)
LP: Taylor Doll (Perham) (6IP, 7H, 5R, 4ER, 2BB, 2K)
Wadena-Deer Creek—Ryan Nelson 1-4, R; Jake Rude 2-4, (2)2B, R; Kevin Tumberg 1-4, R; Tyler Wohlwend 1-1, RBI; Derrick Rude 2-3, 2B, RBI
Perham— Brad Ellingson 1-3; Jesse Hein 2-3, 2B, RBI; Shawn Stafki 1-3, R; Ben Bucholz 1-2; Ben Brill 1-3, 2B, RBI

Yellowjackets 9, Wolverines 2 (Game Two)
Wadena-Deer Creek 2 0 0 0 0 0 0—2 6 2
Perham 2 6 0 1 0 0 x—9 9 0
WP: TJ Studer (Perham) (6IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 5K)
LP: Ryan Redfield (WDC) (1.1IP, 6H, 6R, 6ER,1BB, 0K)
Wadena-Deer Creek—Jake Rude 2-4, (2)2B, R; Tumberg 1-2, 2RBI; Cody Redfield 2-3; Ryan Redfield 1-2
Perham—Warne 1-3, R; Ellingson 2-3, 2B, HR, 3R, 2RBI; Hein 2-4, (2)HR, 2R, 5RBI; David Alstadt 2-3, R; Jon Langlie 2-2, R