STURGIS, SD – The Rapid City Central Cobbler baseball team traveled to Strong Field and left with an 8-3 win, with plenty of drama late in the game as the umpire ended the contest in the top of the seventh due to verbal abuse by coaches, players and fans.
The Cobblers took advantage of Scooper mistakes in the top of the first, scoring four runs. The Scoopers added two runs of their own in the bottom of the first, and headed into the second inning down, 4-2.
Scooper starting right hander Brody Royer settled down after a rough first inning, striking out nine Cobblers through five innings of work, but the Sturgis offense could not produce any runs. Brand Matthews came in to relieve Royer in the sixth inning.
Matthews was called for a balk in the top of the sixth and Royer, who was moved to second base, appeared to say something to the umpire. Royer was ejected from the game. Rapid City Central scored two more runs in the top of the sixth inning, and Elijah Stroud was brought in to relieve Matthews with two outs in the sixth. Stroud struck out Nate Mailloux to end the inning.
The Scoopers could not produce any runs in the bottom of the sixth, and the game advanced into the seventh inning. Sturgis turned two outs on the Cobblers and looked like they would end the inning quickly, but Stroud was called for two consecutive balks. The Scooper coaches and fans weren’t happy with the calls and showed their displeasure by yelling at the umpire, who ended the game with two outs in the top of the seventh with Rapid City Central leading 8–3. The umpire stormed off the field, yelling at players, coaches and fans on his way to the press box.
Rapid City Central (1-0) left six on base and had three hits. The Cobblers got one hit each from Tyler Henstein, Ben Farnsworth and Sam Farnsworth. Nate Mailloux got the pitching win for Central, giving up two hits, walking four, striking out two and hitting one batter on 71 pitches.
Sturgis (0-1) finished with four hits and were led by Elijah Stroud, who went 2-for 3 at the plate. Royer took the pitching loss for Sturgis, striking out nine, walking five and giving up three hits on 106 pitches.
The Scoopers host Rapid City Central again Monday night at Strong Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 7pm.
