Despite losing all-state pitcher to injury, Park River takes momentum to state baseball tournament
· Yahoo Sports
May 26—GRAND FORKS — The Park River Area baseball program was expecting to return three all-state pitchers from a team that finished third at last year's North Dakota Class B state tournament.
A basketball injury to Isaac Porter, however, set the Aggies back a bit from the start.
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Still, Park River feels its playing its best coming out of the regional tournament and will be in the mix to challenge for a state championship. No. 2 seed Park River plays unseeded Shiloh Christian in the state quarterfinals at 11:30 a.m. Thursday in Jamestown.
"It's been a year of ups and downs," Park River all-state pitcher Jake Solseng said. "We had some games where it just hasn't really went our way. We dropped a couple of region games early and battled back this past week. We feel like we're playing our best baseball."
The Aggies still have a strong pitching core, even without Porter. Solseng, who's signed to pitch at Mayville State next season, is joined with two other high-end throwers in brothers Tucker and Jaxon Omdahl. Noah Troftgruben has also filled in with strong performances.
Tucker is signed to play next season at Alexandria Tech, which played this past weekend in the NJCAA Division III World Series.
Solseng, the two Omdahls and Troftgruben were each all-region picks.
Porter also sits on the bench for the Aggies.
"He's like a fifth coach," Park River coach Brett Omdahl said. "He gives everyone perspective when you complain about maybe going 0-for-4. You look down the line, and you see Isaac wishing he could be on the field."
Porter is signed to play at Minnesota Crookston next season.
"Pitching is really the backbone of our team," Solseng said. "We have a core top four guys who can shut down an opposing offense."
At the plate, Park River is led by Tucker Omdahl, who's hitting .460 with a team-high seven doubles in 22 games.
"Hopefully, we can maintain the offense like it has been going," Brett Omdahl said. "Guys are finding more barrels and strikeouts are coming down."
Park River's baseball program has had a series of high finishes. In 2025, Park River was third in Class B Legion baseball, third in Class B high school and champions of Class B Babe Ruth. In 2024, Park River was fourth at Class B Legion. In 2023, Park River won the Class B Babe Ruth title and was runner-up at the Midwest Regional for Babe Ruth.
Kindred is the No. 1 seed at the state tournament, followed by Park River and Thompson.
"I think No. 1 they got right," Omdahl said of the seeding. "After that, it's wide open. Everybody has a guy."
Solseng agrees.
"I think we have a really good shot," he said. "Our region was pretty loaded with talent. Langdon is as good as anyone out there. To beat them twice was a huge confidence booster. We believe we can beat anyone."