K-HEART SPORTS – WEDNESDAY – 06/21/23
MINOT, ND – The North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association has named the winners of the Non-School categories and the Dakota Award at their year end awards. The Dakota Award goes to a North Dakota athlete that excels outside of the state.
NON-SCHOOL TEAM – Minot State Men’s Hockey
The top-ranked Beavers defeated No. 3-ranked Adrian College 1-0 in the ACHA Division 1 Men’s Hockey national championship game, their third title in program history. The other two came in 2013 and 2019. The Beavers finished the season with a record of 35-3 under head coach Wyatt Waselenchuk.
Other finalists: F-M RedHawks / Fargo Force.
NON-SCHOOL ATHLETE – Johnny Witzke, University of Mary Hockey
Witzke, named to the ACHA M2 All-American team for the second year in a row as a defenseman, totaled 48 points in 42 games, including 18 goals. The 24-year-old was whistled for just 12 penalty minutes, had two game-winning goals and was named the ACHA M2 West Region Player of the Year for the Marauders, who finished with a record of 36-8-2. Witzke will return next season for the Marauders.
Other finalists: Julia Araujo, a wrestler at Bismarck High School / Leo Pina from the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks / Cole Knuble from the Fargo Force hockey team
NON-SCHOOL COACH – Chris Coste, F-M Redhawks
Coste led his hometown RedHawks to their first American Association championship. The Fargo South High grad, and 2008 World Series champion with the Philadelphia Phillies, guided the RedHawks to a 64-36 record. Down 8-3 in the decisive fifth game of the championship series to the Milwaukee Milkmen, the RedHawks rallied for a 9-8, 10-inning victory to claim their first American Association title since joining the league in 2011.
Other finalists: Wyatt Waselenchuk, Minot State hockey
DAKOTA AWARD – Bitta Curl
Britta Curl, a 2018 Bismarck St. Mary’s High School grad, has been chosen for the Dakota Award. Curl captained the University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team to the NCAA Division I championship last season. She finished second on the team in points (42) and tied for the team lead in goals (19). She has another year of eligibility remaining with the Badgers. Curl also was on Team USA, which won the Gold Medal at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship.
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MINOT, ND – Scores from Tuesday:
American Legion Baseball
Class A
Williston Oilers def. Minot Metros, 8-1
Williston Oilers def. Minot Metros, 11-6
Class B
Burlington def. Kenmare, 9-1
Kenmare def. Burlington, 22-15
Hazen def. Bismarck Capitals, 11-8
Bismarck Capitals def. Hazen, 9-3
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HOT TOTS-STINGERS
MINOT, ND – A split day-night doubleheader saw the Willmar Stingers defeat the Minot Hot Tots 12-2 in both games. In game one, Willmar scores 12 runs on 16 hits while Minot tallied two runs on 10 hits. Duncan Lutz takes the loss pitching 2 1/3 innings and surrendering 5 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits with one stikeout and three walks. Nate Zyzda gets the win for the Stingers going 6 shutout innings with 6 strikeouts and one walk.
In game two, Willmar’s 12 runs came on 15 hits. The Hot Tots scored two runs on 8 hits. Tommy White gets the loss after pitching 1 2/3 innings giving up 5 runs (4 earned) on 6 hits, 4 strikouts and 3 walks. Michael Chevalier got the win for Willmar pitching 3 innings and surrendering two runs, both earned, on 4 hits, 5 strikeouts and two walks.
The Hot Tots fall to 5-16 on the season, while the Stingers improve to 17-4. They will finish their four game series at 6:35 pm tonight at Corbett Field.
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TWINS-RED SOX
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Added to the starting lineup late, Christian Arroyo had a career-high five hits and drove in four runs, while Kutter Crawford pitched five scoreless innings for the Boston Red Sox in a 10-4 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night. Adam Duvall and Arroyo hit solo homers in the fourth to start the scoring, and Masataka Yoshida added a two-run shot in the eighth. Arroyo also hit a three-run double as part of a five-run seventh for Boston, which has outscored opponents 50-18 during a six-game win streak. Crawford (2-3) gave up just six hits and struck out five. Corey Kluber allowed four runs on three homers but pitched the final three innings for his first career save. Bailey Ober (4-4) surrendered three runs on eight hits in six innings for Minnesota, which has lost five of six and fell to a season-worst two games under .500 (36-38). The Twins started the day with a two-game lead over Cleveland in the American League Central. Byron Buxton, who snapped an 0-for-24 skid with a single in the second, hit a two-run homer in the eighth. Royce Lewis and Max Kepler added solo homers in the ninth.
UP NEXT
RHP Sonny Gray (4-1, 2.37 ERA) will start tonight in the third of the four-game series. RHP Garrett Whitlock (4-2, 4.38) is scheduled for Boston. It will be the first start since Gray was seen arguing with Baldelli in the dugout on June 15 when he was lifted after four innings and 79 pitches with four walks.