Steelville High School’s baseball team played two games in three days from Sept. 22 to Sept. 24 against Bismarck and Plato, respectively. The Cardinals blew out Bismarck on the road before losing a close game to Plato.

Steelville is 2-1 for the fall season with just two games left in its shortened fall schedule. The Cardinals will have nearly two weeks off before hosting Arcadia Valley Oct. 6 and playing in Bourbon Oct. 8 in its fall finale.

Sept. 22 vs. Bismarck

The Cardinals traveled to Bismarck to take on the Indians on Tuesday afternoon. Steelville used brilliant pitching from Carter Grandstaff and Carter Wallis and big scoring innings in the third and fifth frames to earn a worry free 10-0 victory in six innings.

The Red and White scored one run in the first, three in the second and five in the third inning to take an early 9-0 lead. The Cardinals’ pitching duo never gave the Indians a chance to come back, holding Bismarck to just one hit throughout the match up.

Grandstaff hurled four innings on 68 pitches, striking out four and allowing just one hit and two walks. Wallis fanned two batters in a scoreless final two innings on 29 pitches to secure the win.

Ripken Halbert singled, doubled twice, scored three times and drove two runs to lead the Cardinals out of the lead off spot. Bentley McGinnis had two hits, two runs scored, a stolen base and a run batted in. Cameron Wallis singled twice and scored, Chace Grayson doubled, stole a base and drove in a run, Caden Collinson singled and drove in two runs, Jaxon Brooks singled, scored and drove in a run and Carter Wallis walked and scored twice to round out Steelville’s offensive output. Bismarck sophomore Lance Brewster walked, singled and stole a base as the Indian’s most productive player.

Sept. 24 vs. Plato

The Cardinals welcomed the Plato Eagles into town on a windy gray day. Plato struck first, scoring one run in the second and two runs in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead. Steelville responded in the bottom of the third on a single from Chace Grayson that scored Ripken Halbert to make it a 3-1 game.

Each team would add another run and Plato took a 4-2 lead heading into the sixth inning. The Eagles rallied to score two runs in the top of the sixth and led 6-2 going into the seventh and final inning. The Cardinals would add one run, but it was not enough as Plato held on for a 6-3 victory.

Grayson went 3-for-3, walked and drove in two runs. Halbert singled twice, scored twice and stole two bases to lead the Cardinals at the plate. Carter Wallis singled, walked and drove in a run. Carter Grandstaff and Bentley McGinnis each singled and Caden Collinson walked and scored to wrap up Steelville’s production on offense. 

Grayson started on the mound for Steelville, notching six strikeouts in four innings on 83 pitches. Cameron Wallis came on in relief and threw 55 pitches in the final three innings, recording four strikeouts. The Cardinals’ bats were primarily stifled by Plato starting pitcher Kutter Eilenstine, who struck out 14 hitters in 6 2/3 innings on the mound.