CASTLEWOOD – The Ravens survived a ninth-inning rally by the Volga Cormorants to hold on for an 8-7 season-opening Eastern Dakota League amateur baseball victory on Sunday.

The Ravens broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the bottom of the fourth and then tacked on five runs over the next four innings to build an 8-2 lead.

Volga took advantage of two Castlewood errors and sent 10 batters to the plate in the top of the ninth as they tallied five runs but stranded both the tying and go-ahead runners on base.

The Ravens (1-0 overall and in the EDL) pounded out 16 hits in the victory, including eight doubles – two by Eric Danforth and one each by Ricky Hannasch, Andy Turbak, Blake Turbak, Cole Julius, Brian Rieb and Logan Gabriel.

Danforth and Blake Turbak each finished with four hits, Julius three and Gabriel two.

Mitch Trego earned the win in relief of starter Connor Fransen. Brody Ries notched a three-inning save.

Jake Arlt collected three hits and Zack Puetz two for Volga (0-3, 0-1). One of Arlt’s hits was a double.

Josh Nelson took the loss.

Castlewood hosts Brookings at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday in a non-league game.

Volga 000 200 005  –  7  11  5

CW Ravens 101 120 21x  –  8  16  5

Josh Nelson, Jordan Nelson (6) and Layne Lucas; Connor Fransen, Mitch Trego (4), Brody Ries (7) and Logan Gabriel. W – Trego. L – Josh Nelson. Sv – Ries. 2B: V, Jake Arlt; C, Eric Danforth (2), Ricky Hannasch, Andy Turbak, Blake Turbak, Cole Julius, Brian Rieb, Logan Gabriel.

• Milbank 7-6, Aurora 1-1

MILBANK – Dominique and Taylor Boerger each tossed complete games and combined for 28 strikeouts in leading the Milbank Firechiefs to a season-opening Eastern Dakota League amateur baseball sweep over the Aurora A’s on Sunday.

Dominique fired a five-hitter with 17 strikeouts in Milbank’s 7-1 win in the opener and Taylor scattered two hits and fanned 11 in the Firechiefs’ 6-1 victory in the nightcap.

Brady Krause had three hits, which included a double, to spearhead Milbank’s nine-hit attack in the opener. Jacob Jackson added a double and Travis Lester two singles.

Lukas Kallas had two singles and Parker Todd a double for Aurora as Scott Engen took the loss for the A’s.

Tony Hofman, Brady Krause and Ronnie Krause each had two hits for the Firechiefs (2-0, 2-0) in the second game. Hofman, Ryan Conrad and Lance Frogner each doubled.

Colton Wendland took the loss for Aurora (0-2 overall and in the EDL).

Milbank 200 020 3  –  7  9  2

Aurora 000 000 1  –  1  5  2

Dominique Boerger and Brady Krause; Scott Engen, Cameron May (5) and Trevor Bruggeman. W – Boerger. L – Engen. 2B: A, Parker Todd; M, Krause, Jacob Jackson.

———

Aurora 000 001 0  –  1   2   7

Milbank 002 130 x  –  6  10  1

Colton Wendland and Jon Koenig; Taylor Boerger and Brady Krause. W – Boerger. L – Wendland. 2B: M,  Ryan Conrad, Lance Frogner, Tony Hofman.