FARGO — Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich defeated Beulah 4 -1 in Thursday's final quarterfinal game of the 2022 Class B Baseball State Tournament at the Newman Outdoor Field.

Playing small ball might not be as exciting as hitting home runs, but when it works you win big games.

The Cardinals’ head coach, Josh Krivarchka, said that the mantra for the L-E-M baseball team all year has been finding ways to win games, including playing small ball.

“That was kind of our mojo all year,” said Krivarckka, “We’ll play small ball and we got guys that can run and they want to play the game right. And that’s what I really love about this team is they just want to find a way to win.”

This was the second time in two years that the two teams have met each other in the first round of the state tournament.

The Miners got it rolling right away. Trapper Skalsky knocked a triple into the alley in right field to open up the game in the first inning and he scored on a wild pitch.

In the third inning, Langdon finally got on the scoreboard after a double-play attempt went sour. Tucker Welsh wheeled home after the ball missed Beulah’s shortstop and instead found the left field grass.

L-E-M finished with just three hits and all four runs were unearned. It was an example of the day said Beulah head coach Isaac Michaelson.

“If a few more things would have gone our way,” said Michaelson, “we would have been right in it.”

Michaelson said that although his team wasn’t victorious he was still “pleased with the performance”.

The Cardinals scratched a few more runs across in the bottom of the fifth after loading up the bases with a walk, an error and a hit by pitch. Markus Kingzett laid down a bunt that scored Nickolas Kingzett. Gage Goodman and Carter Tetrault then both scored on Mason Romfo's RBI single. The Cardinals led 4-1.

Skalsky went 2-4 and was also the losing pitcher giving up four unearned runs on three hits over six innings. He struck out five.

Markus Kingzett was the winning pitcher. He allowed a run on five hits and struck out nine in six inning. Kingzett and Romfo both had 2 RBI. The team finished with three hits and all four runs were unearned.

Langdon will play LaMoure-Litchville-Marion in the semifinals at 6:15 p.m. Friday, June 3.