By Ryan Deal 

605 Sports

The Raptors spotted Johnson a 3-0 start on the mound, including two runs in the first inning. 

“You always obviously want to pitch with a lead,” Johnson said. “When you go out with a lead, it’s more comfortable. Basically I know my defense is good. I know my guys are going to play. So I just want to make sure I am throwing strikes and giving them a chance.”

Schmidt drove in two runs in the first two innings, while Sam Pischke added an RBI. Schmidt’s second inning RBI sac fly gave Dimock-Emery a 3-0 lead. In the fourth inning, Schmidt ripped a two-out RBI single for a 4-0 Dimock-Emery advantage. 

“Jason is Jason,” Johnson said. “It’s just another Jason day. That’s what he does and he’s done it since he was seven when I was playing with him at that age. The dude is a phenomenal baseball player.”

After Schmidt’s fourth-inning RBI, Lake Norden starter Jordon Johnson was taken out for Nicholai Arbach. Johnson allowed eight hits, four earned runs, one walk and had zero strikeouts in 3.2 innings. 

“Jordon has been a hell of a pitcher in this state tournament for many years,” Bartscher said. “He’s been a gamer and we knew he was going to come out and compete. So it was big getting a couple runs early.”

In the eighth inning, Lake Norden got within 4-2 on RBIs by Matt Stevenson and Mick Tulson. The Lakers left the bases loaded to end the inning, leaving the deficit at two runs. 

In the top of the ninth, Phil Johnson smacked a two-run single for a 6-2 advantage. 

“Phil Johnson does Phil Johnson things,” Bartscher said. “The guy is a gamer and he is locked in. He knew he needed to get the job done and I wouldn’t want anybody else at the plate other than Phil Johnson.” 

In the bottom of the ninth, Dimock-Emery reliever Landon Waddell closed the door on the Lakers, striking out two batters and allowing zero hits in a scoreless frame. 

Pischke and Drew Kitchens had two hits for the Raptors. Peyton Nash, Josh Engquist and Chase Arend each had hits. Lake Norden’s Dawson Noem had two hits. 

Dimock-Emery will play Castlewood at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the second round.