The Merchants defended their State Title Sunday with a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Jamestown Hounds.  Tommy Linn provided the firepower with a 3 run bomb to right field in the first inning.  The Hounds got single runs in the first and second innings and that was all the scoring.  

Derek Zitzow started on the hill for the Merchants throwing three solid innings giving up two runs on four hits while striking out two.  Brandon Baumgartner threw a marvelous four scoreless innings to close it out.  Baumy gave up three hits and no runs to give the Merchants their second state title in as many years and their 13th overall as an organization.

Kobe Senn, Bryan Erstad, Lane Ulmer, and Drew Clouse also added hits on the sunny afternoon at Jack Brown Stadium.

The Merchants started out the tournament by beating the Mavyille Redcaps 3-1.  Erstad hit a two run shot in the first inning to set the tone.  JB Morales also added an RBI double.  Ethan Clouse threw a solid 4 1/3 innings and Baumy closed down the final 2 2/3rds to get the save.

To get the title game the Merchants had to get by a young and upcoming Casselton team.  Down 1-0 through three and a half innings the Merchants found their groove in the bottom of the 4th scoring four runs, then added three more in the 6th to win 7-1.  Chayton Senn led the way with two hits and three RBI's.  John Eckstein went the distance on the mound scattering five hits and striking out six.

The Merchants finish the season 10-4 and will be celebrating the title all year long as they are all just as sweet as the last one.  We'll see you next year as the M's look to three-peat, something they haven't done since the 2006-2008 seasons.