By BRADY FARKAS
For www.cliftonparkworldseries.com
CLIFTON PARK – Rain pushed back the start of the Grand Forks, ND and Meridian, ID contest a little more than two hours, but the finish proved worth the wait.
Grand Forks, on the heels of back-to-back heartbreaking losses at the 13-year-old Babe Ruth World Series hosted by Clifton Park, NY scored four times in the bottom of the sixth inning to shock the Pacific Northwest regional champions.
Trailing 6-3 entering the sixth, Grand Forks started off with a routine grounder to second. But the Midwest Plains champs followed with two singles from Ben Carolin and Baden Ripplinger.
With two outs, a walk to Brock Montgomery loaded the bases.
Casey Schumacher followed with a walk to make the score 6-4. Collin Hennessey then singled sharply to the outfield to tie the score at six. Schumacher, who advanced to third on the game-tying hit, scored on a wild pitch to give Grand Forks the lead.
Schumacher worked a perfect top of the seventh to give Grand Forks its first tournament victory. Schumacher earned the win, pitching all seven innings. He allowed six runs, only one of which was earned. He scattered eight hits and had two strikeouts en route to winning the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game award for Grand Forks.
Meridian was led by Hunter Weindel, who won the Tellefsen Player of the Game for his team. He pitched four innings, allowing three earned runs and four hits. He added a solo home run in the third, the first of the tournament.
Meridian faced a scary moment later in the third when Justin Walker left the game after being hit in the groin with a pitch. The game was delayed 20 minutes before paramedics arrived. Walker walked off the field under his own power, was looked at in an ambulance, before ultimately staying at the complex. He was taken to urgent care after the game.
At 1-2 in the National Division, Grand Forks will need to win its next game and have help to advance out of pool play. Grand Forks plays Tuesday against Eagle Pass, Texas.
Meridian is now 0-2 in the National Division and will play Clifton Park on Monday.

Check out the play-by-play, color commentary and the weather conditions as Nick, Reda and Stan give you updates from the press box via Cover it Live, click here.

You can also see the action with Babe Ruth TV and we now have a new transformer so our audio now works. Thanks Maurice! Catch the game and maybe some raindrops too!