VonBerge and Vettrus slug Humboldt-Hartford past Salem

Game one of Thursday night’s District 4B tournament was a slugfest, as the Humboldt-Hartford Gamecocks walked off the Salem Cubs 16-15.

Both teams scored 5 runs in the 1st innings. Salem got a three run homer in the 1st from Jacob VonBerge. The Gamecocks scored their runs in the 1st on four hits, two walks and two errors. 

Salem led by 2 runs entering the bottom of the 7th inning, when Noah Vettrus hit a 3 run homer to put the Gamecocks a run. In the 9th, VonBerge delivered a hit to help Salem tie the game at 15-15. But Humboldt-Hartford started the bottom of the 9th with a single and a walk, followed by a hit batter, to load the bases. Loren Jacobson then singled to drive in the winning run. 

Brock Haldeman and Brandon McKnight each had 3 hits and scored 3 runs for the gamecocks. Devon Garry finished the game with 4 RBI. Steve Mehlbrech led Salem with 3 hits and 6 RBI. Vonberg drove in 5 runs in the loss. 

The Gamecocks win send them on to next week’s State Tournament. Salem will play again tonight against Flandreau, with a trip to State on the line. That game begins at 8pm tonight, on FM 103.1