Back-to-back Babe Ruth District titles for WHA Wolves

BEMIDJI — The Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Babe Ruth team won their second straight District 2 Championship Sunday night, and in the process completed an undefeated 10-0 season.

Behind strong pitching by Cole Rutten and Brad Hasse, the Wolves beat Bagley 3-0 at Bemidji State University. Rutten gave up only two hits, two walks and struck out nine in five-plus innings of work. Hasse got the final four outs including striking out the side in the seventh.

Last year the Wolves denied Blackduck a three peat with a 3-1 win, and played at the State Tournament for the first time in may years. This year State begins Thursday at Crosby-Ironton.

The District 2 game was scoreless through three innings with WHA stranding runners in scoring position in the first and third. The Wolves got a run in the fourth as Karch Frazier reached on an error, stole second and scored on Elliot Harris’ single to right.

WHA added two more runs in the fifth on a walk, two hit batters, a single and an error. Levi Meschke got it started with a walk and Gavin Swanson reached when he was hit by a pitch.

After a pitching change, Bagley’s center fielder dove to catch Rutten’s line-drive and was able to throw to second for the double play.

WHA responded with Frazier lining a single to left that the fielder misplayed, allowing Swanson to score the second run. Caleb Crow reached on a high throw to first that led to Frazier scoring from second for a 3-0 lead.

The Wolves also left runners in scoring position in the fourth and sixth.

Bagley’s best chance of scoring came in the sixth with runners at second and third, and one out. Rutten got the final batter to fly out to third baseman TJ Orton, and Hasse got the third out with a pop-out to short.

Easton Brovold turned the first web gem in the first inning. The right fielder’s running snag in foul territory was the first out in the game and followed a lead-off single. The runner was able to tag-up and reach second base, but Rutten settled down and got the next two batters.

In the first game on Sunday, Laporte beat Cass Lake-Bena 14-4 for third place. WHA beat Cass Lake-Bena 16-3 Friday night at BSU.