Municipal Ballpark's pasture-like outfield may be where home runs go to die, but some of them are resurrected - as doubles.

Taylor Isakson blasted a pair of doubles Thursday, one to deep left-center and one to dead center, that would have been home runs on many diamonds. He had to settle for a couple of two-baggers and four RBIs as the Bismarck Governors overpowered Grand Forks 11-8 in American Legion baseball.

Bismarck was even more aggressive in the nightcap swatting 21 hits to win by the 10-run rule, 12-2, in six innings.

"You'd have to say our ballpark is a disadvantage (for hitters). That's what the guys were giving me such a hard time about," Isakson of his 370- and 380-foot blasts. "The pitchers love it."

Isakson wasn't the only Governors batter to draw a bead on Royals right-hander David Nelson in the first game. Bismarck banged out 14 hits.

Nelson walked only one man and threw just 92 pitches in going the distance. Isakson said Nelson's count was down because the Governors went to the plate with a mind to swing the bat.

"Lately we've been struggling with our hitting. (Coach Mike) Skytland said to hit the first fastball we saw, and we were doing that,"Isakson said. "I think that's why we scored so many runs early. We've had trouble lately sitting back in the count and letting (opposing) pitchers dictate the at-bats. ¦ Tonight we came into the game knowing we were going to swing, and we were going to swing early."

Bismarck put two runs on the scoreboard in the first inning and one in the second for a 3-1 lead. The backbreaker, though, was a six-spot in the fourth that gave Govs right-hander Matt Chuppe a 9-3 lead with which to work.

Isakson did the heavy lifting in the fourth, pounding a long double over the head of center fielder Alex Moe to plate the fourth and fifth runs of the frame. He eventually scored the sixth run on Zach Lardy's single.

Grand Forks made it interesting, plating five runs, one unearned, off Chuppe in the sixth. Those proved to be the final runs of the game. Right-handed reliever Kevin Sanford pitched a scoreless seventh inning for Bismarck, walking one and hitting one.

Lardy led the Governor attack with three hits, all singles. Isakson, Tyler Peterson, Jon Herold and Erik Peterson all rapped two hits apiece. Alex Moe and Brady Johnson each banged out two hits for Grand Forks.

Alex Deyle swatted five hits and Isakson added four as the Govs cuffed three Royals pitchers for 21 hits in the second game.

Bismarck batted around twice, scoring four times in both the fourth and fifth innings to turn the nightcap into a rout.

Hunter Johnson smashed RBI triples and scored in both of the big innings. All but one of the Governor starters had at least one hit, and seven of them whacked two or more safeties.

The beneficiary of the second-game fireworks was undefeated right-hander Lardy, who went the distance and picked up his fourth win.

Bismarck, which entered the twin bill with five losses in its last eight statewide games, improved to 10-6 statewide and 20-13 overall.

Isakson said 23 runs and 35 hits couldn't have come at a better time.

"We got a lot of hits today," he said. "When you get two-hit by Fargo and shut out by (Mandan's Reid)Jungling you need something like this. We're a good hitting team. We've just got to get it into our own heads."

Grand Forks has lost four straight, sinking to 3-11 statewide and 6-15 overall.

The Royals visit Mandan for a pair of statewide games tonight. The doubleheader is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Memorial Ballpark.

Bismarck 11, Grand Forks 8

Grand Forks 100 205 0 - 8 10 2

Bismarck 210 620 x - 11 14 2

David Nelson and Casey Purpur, Erick Huderle (5); Matt Chuppe, Kevin Sanford (7) and Taylor Isakson.

W - Chuppe, 3-2. L - Nelson. HR - None.

Highlights: GF - Alex Moe 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI; Jake LaDouceur 1-for-3, triple, 1 R, 1 RBI; Brady Johnson 2-for-4, double, 2 R, 2 RBIs. B - Tyler Peterson 2-for-3, triple, 1 R, 2 RBIs; Alex Deyle 1-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBIs; Isakson 2-for-4, 2 doubles, 1 R, 4 RBIs; Zach Lardy 3-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI; Jon Herold 2-for-3, 2 R; Erik Peterson 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 RBI.

Bismarck 12, Grand Forks 2

Grand Forks 020 000 - 2 5 1

Bismarck 120 441 - 12 21 1

Jake LaDouceur, Mick Koski (5), Gage Salquist (6) and Casey Purpur, Erick Huderle (6); Zach Lardy and Jon Herold. W - Lardy, 4-0. L - LaDouceur. HR - None.

Highlights: GF - LaDouceur 2-for-4; Salquist 2-for-3, 1 RBI. B - Alex Deyle 5-for-5, double, 5 R; Hunter Johnson 2-for-3, 2 triples, 2 R, 2 RBIs; Taylor Isakson 4-for-5, double, 1 R, 3 RBIs; Matt Chuppe 2-for-5, 2 RBIs; Kevin Sanford 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI; Herold 2-for-3, 1 RBI; Brady Wolf 3-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBIs; Lardy 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 SO.

Records: Grand Forks 3-11 statewide, 6-15 overall; Bismarck 10-6, 20-13.