Walk-off saves Hi-Liners Baseball season
Charlie Brown Field - Valley City
The Valley City Hi-Liners are still breathing. And if this postseason has proven anything about this group, it’s that they refuse to go quietly.
One day after looking like the baseball version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in regional tournament play, the Hi-Liners flipped the script again Tuesday afternoon, battling back from a 5-2 deficit to stun Kidder County 6-5 in a walk-off thriller and keep their season alive.
For a team that has spent much of the spring fighting inconsistency, this was the version of Valley City that coaches and fans keep believing can make noise — gritty, dangerous, emotional, and relentless when the pressure gets heavy.
The Hi-Liners once again made life harder on themselves with defensive miscues and shaky stretches early. Kidder County capitalized on walks and errors to build momentum, and by the fifth inning Valley City found itself staring at a three-run hole with their season hanging by a thread.
But this team keeps showing one thing you can’t teach: fight.
Jack Samuelson sparked the comeback effort all afternoon, ripping multiple doubles, while Leighton Hendrickson delivered a huge RBI single in the seventh to cut the deficit. Then came the chaos.
Down 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, Valley City found life after a Kidder County error allowed James Schwehr to reach and move into scoring position. Cole Bullinger followed with a clutch game-tying single that brought home two runs and sent the dugout into a frenzy.
And then in the eighth, the comeback kids finished the job.
Luke Praska opened the inning with a single, Parker Roelfsema was hit by a pitch, and Corbyn Powell lifted the season-saving sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Praska for the walk-off winner.
It wasn’t clean. It rarely has been for this group.
But regional baseball is not about perfect. It’s about surviving.
The Hi-Liners continue to live on the edge — capable of frustrating mistakes one inning and fearless baseball the next. That’s been the Jekyll-and-Hyde reality of this season. Yet right now, Valley City is hoping the “Jekyll” version is the one sticking around a little longer.
Because when these Hi-Liners are playing loose, aggressive, and believing in themselves, they are dangerous enough to keep extending their season one more day. ⚾🔥
Hi-Liner Baseball Stat Pack ⚾🔥
Final
Valley City 6, Kidder County 5 (8 innings)
Hi-Liners survive and advance with a walk-off regional tournament win.
Valley City Offensive Leaders
Jack Samuelson — 3 doubles, scored 2 runs
Corbyn Powell — 2 hits, RBI, game-winning sacrifice fly
Leighton Hendrickson — RBI single in 7th inning comeback
Cole Bullinger — Game-tying 2-RBI single in the 7th
Luke Praska — 2 hits, scored winning run
James Schwehr — Hit and scored during late rally
Team Notes
Valley City erased a 5-2 deficit
Hi-Liners scored:
2 runs in the 7th inning
Walk-off run in the 8th
VC finished with multiple extra-base hits and continued to show offensive explosiveness late in games
Defense remained an adventure at times with multiple errors contributing to Kidder County runs
Pitching / Defensive Highlights
Brody Mueller came in and battled through pressure innings to help keep the season alive
Corbyn Powell threw out:
Grady Larson attempting to steal 2nd in the 8th
Tayden Jasper attempting to steal 3rd in the 8th
Two massive defensive plays that prevented additional Kidder County runs
Turning Point
With two outs in the bottom of the 7th:
Valley City trailed 5-3
Bullinger delivered the clutch game-tying hit
Momentum completely flipped to the Hi-Liners
The Big Picture
The Hi-Liners continue to embody the ultimate “Jekyll and Hyde” baseball team:
Errors and inconsistency can hurt them
But when the bats wake up and the energy rises, this team becomes extremely dangerous
And for at least one more day… the comeback kids are still alive.
