Submitted photo

Shawn Schmidt had a big game at the plate on Saturday to help lead South Fork to a tournament-closing victory at the Fort Bragg baseball tournament.

The senior went 4-for-4 with a a double and an RBI as the Cubs broke a late tie with two runs in the sixth on the way to an 11-9 win over Middletown.

The Cubs went 2-1 in tournament action, improving to 4-4 on the season.

They opened with an 8-7 loss to Colusa and followed that with a 5-3 win over Hoopa.

Travis “T-Bone” Way also had a big game against Middletown, finishing 3-for-3 with two walks and two RBIs and had two stolen bases, while freshman Ryan Tosten made his presence felt, finishing 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs and was also reached base twice on a hit-by-pitch.

The impressive youngster also closed out the game on the mound, coming in in relief in the top of the sixth and displaying a composer beyond his years with a clutch performance, getting out of a jam with the bases loaded and just one out.

Several other players also stepped up for the team over the weekend, including standout sophomore Mason Bell, who continues to make an impact on both sides of the ball.

Bell has picked up this year just where he left off at the end of an impressive freshman campaign in 2025, anchoring the Cubs defense at shortstop and also finishing 2-for-5 with an RBI against Middletown.

Senior John Stafslien, who was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs in that game, also pitched two innings and was “solid at centerfield, as usual,” according to head coach Andrew Jacobson.

Another freshman also made his presence felt for the Cubs over the weekend.

Tyson Mulder finished 7-for-11 over the three games and “had a great two days,” Jacobson said.

Mulder got his weekend off to a flying start, finishing 3-for-3 with three RBIs against Colusa, while Way (2-for-3, two RBIs) and Kael Puno (2-for-3, RBI) each also had multiple hits against the host school.

In the team’s second tournament game against Hoopa, Cody Wheeler set the tone at the plate and on the mound.

The junior pitched six scoreless innings while allowing seven hits and also finished 2-for-4.

The consistently dangerous Mulder continued to impress in that game, finishing 3-for-4, while Bo Ayala added a triple.

Wheeler got plenty of help from his defense, most notably Sheyne Casey and Stafslien.

After catching a fly ball in left field in the fifth inning, Casey threw out a runner on what Jacobson described as “a huge play” that kept the momentum in the Cubs’ favor.

Stafslien also tracked down a deep ball in left center that could easily have been a double or a triple.

“John’s amazing speed tracked it down,” Jacobson said. “Those two plays helped us win the Hoopa game.”

Next up, the Cubs will host Arcata in a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon, with game one set for 2 p.m.