Mandan, N.D. ? Max Ellenbecker rode to the rescue of the Lawrence Raiders on Friday morning.

Ellenbecker hurled one-hit ball for six innings, fanning 11 of the 20 batters he faced as the Raiders avoided elimination in the Legion Central Plains baseball regional by run-ruling Fargo, N.D., 12-0, in seven innings.

“He pitched like a man,” Raiders coach Kevin Tucker said of Ellenbecker, a May Free State High graduate. “He was spectacular. We were feeding off him.”

Meanwhile, the Raiders struck for four runs in the second inning and three more in the third for an early 7-0 lead.

“Anytime you can put up three or four runs, it gives the pitcher a breath of fresh air,” Tucker said. “Max got comfortable after that and threw strikes.”

Fargo’s lone safety was a ground single up the middle with one out in the fifth by outfielder Billy Sholl.

The Raiders exploded for five more runs in the fifth for an insurmountable 12-0 lead, so Tucker replaced Ellenbecker with Grant Meisenheimer, who retired Fargo 1-2-3 in the seventh.

Jake Hoover and Lorenzo Ricketts paced the Raiders’ 12-hit attack with three hits apiece. Ricketts drove in three runs. Cory Cooper and Tyler Knight each added a pair of hits for the Raiders (36-7).

Hoover continued his torrid pace in Central Plains regional contests. In three games last year, Hoover collected 10 hits in 14 at-bats. In two games this year, he is 6-for-9.

“He’s seeing the ball really well,” Tucker said of Hoover, another Free State grad who is headed for Neosho County CC when the season ends. “He’s a team leader. Our team rallies around what he does.”

Lawrence had bowed to defending regional champion Eden Prairie, Minn., 12-8, in Thursday’s opener, falling behind 9-1 after a couple of innings.

Tucker blamed that slow start on the fact the Raiders hadn’t played in 11 days and on travel delays. An airplane mechanical problem was responsible for half the players arriving at the nearby Bismarck airport at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, or 10 hours before Thursday’s game time.

“Last night we got some rest, and I think that helped,” Tucker said Friday. “Now, it’s going to be good to get some more rest before we play again.”

The Raiders are scheduled for another elimination game at 4:30 p.m. today against either Rapid City, S.D., or the host Mandan team. Right-hander Travis Blankenship is the Raiders’ probable starter.