KWL’s Wallner strikes out 10 as Nationals eliminate Flandreau

MITCHELL – Kimball/White Lake staff ace Zak Wallner pitched his second complete game in four days, propelling the Nationals past the Flandreau Cardinals 2-1 on Wednesday night at Cadwell Park in Mitchell during the round of 16 in the 2022 South Dakota Class “B” Amateur Baseball State Tournament.
Wallner dueled with the Cardinals’ Jordan Gesling who also went the distance as the two pitchers combined to allow just seven hits while striking out 18.
After a scoreless first two innings the Nationals got on the board in the third inning. Kelly O’Bryan singled to open the inning and Dylan Konechne was hit by a pitch. Seth Kirsch then added a single of his own to center which scored O’Bryan to give Kimball/White Lake a 1-0 lead.
After a fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning, Brian Zeman picked up an RBI on a ground out to Flandreau shortstop Mitch Foster which allowed Konechne to cross home plate for a 2-0 advantage in favor of the Nationals.
A three-up and three-down inning in the third brought K/WL back to the plate and the Nationals would threaten again in the top of the fourth as both Dylanger Pierson and Eathan Gaulke drew walks, and after a fielder’s choice forced Gaulke at second base to put runners on the corners, O’Bryan was plunked to load the bases. Gesling, however, would strike out Konechne and get Kirsch to ground out to end the threat.

Both Wallner and Gesling would put up zeros until the top of the ninth inning with the Nationals still holding a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the ninth Brian McGuire reached on a one-out single and moved to second on defensive indifference after Bret Severtson struck out for the second out. Foster then ripped a single to left that scored McGuire to cut the Nationals’ lead in half at 2-1, but Wallner took care of business against pinch-hitter Dallas Schneiderman as three straight pitches went for the strikes, the last one swinging, to close the game and send the Nationals into the quarterfinals.
Wallner struck out 10 on 138 pitches while scattering just four hits and allowing one earned run and issuing just one walk.
Gesling’s 122 pitches resulted in only giving up three hits, handing out three walks, and striking out eight while giving up two earned runs.
Kirsch had two of the Nationals’ three hits as well as an RBI, while O’Bryan had the other hit.
Grant Hieb had two hits to lead Flandreau while Foster and McGuire added one each with Foster recording the lone Cardinals’ RBI.
Kimball/White Lake will play Winner/Colome as the Pheasants scored twice in the bottom of the ninth inning on Luke Bamberg’s two-run walk off single to defeat the Lake Norden Lakers 4-3.
Garretson and Mt. Vernon will play in today’s first quarterfinal game at 5:30 p.m. with Alexandria and Lennox taking the field after.
Dimock/Emery will play the defending state champion Dell Rapids Mudcats on Friday in the first game of the evening session with the Pheasants and Nationals to follow.