STURGIS, SD — The Pierre Governors came to Strong Field on Friday for their first high school baseball games of the season. The Govs set the tone early, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning on their way to a 12-2 win in five innings in game one of a doubleheader over the Sturgis Scoopers.
Dustin Alan got the start for the Scoopers in game one and the right hander had trouble finding his spots early. Alan hit three Pierre batters with pitches in the first inning, walked one and gave up two hits and Pierre plated five runs.
Right hander Brady Getz took the mound for Pierre and was stellar early, holding Sturgis scoreless on one hit in the first.
Hunter Janzen came in to relieve Alan in the second inning, holding Pierre scoreless in the second and third innings. The Scoopers scored two in the third to cut into the Governor lead, but Pierre scored one in the fourth and six in the fifth to put the game out of reach. The game was called by the ten run mercy rule after five innings, 12-2.
Getz got the complete game win for Pierre, giving up five hits on 66 pitches, walking one and striking out three. Alan took the loss for Sturgis, allowing two hits, five runs, striking out one and walking one.
Game two was a much more competitive affair and shaped up early to be a pitchers duel, as Spencer Kelly got the start for Pierre and Owen Cass took the bump for Sturgis.
Both Kelly and Cass struck out two batters in the first and it was scoreless after one inning.
Cass hit leadoff batter Jonny Lyons in the top of the second, then walked Jett Zabel. The next batter, Cade Kaiser, popped out a bunt to Scooper catcher Evan Stroud. An errant throw by Stroud allowed Lyons and Zabel to advance to third and second, putting both Govs in scoring position. Lyons scored on a single by Grayson Hunsley, moving Zabel to third. Brecken Krueger popped out to Scooper third baseman Dustin Alan, then leadoff hitter Lincoln Kienholz stroked a double to left center, scoring Zabel and Hunsley to give Pierre a 3-0 lead.
Alan singled off Kelly to start the bottom of the second. Cass saw a pitch he liked and drove a triple to left field, scoring Alan. Cass crossed home plate after a wild pitch by Kelly and Pierre led Sturgis 3-2 after two innings.
Pierre scored five more in the third after several miscues by the Scoopers. Sturgis added two runs in the bottom half of the inning and the Govs led 8-4 after three innings.
Pierre added a run in the fourth and the Scoopers plated two more in the sixth and Pierre led 9-6 headed into the seventh. Sturgis relief pitcher Kain Peters shut down the Govs in the top of the seventh, giving the Scooper offense a chance in the bottom half of the inning.
Sturgis could only manage one run in the seventh and Pierre held off the Scoopers, 9-7 in game two.
Relief pitcher Christian Busch got the win for Pierre, with Beau Peters taking the loss for Sturgis. The Govs (2-0) had 8 hits and were led by Spencer Easland with two singles. Sturgis (2-4) had seven hits, with Alan and Cass collecting two each.
Pierre takes on Rapid City Central on Saturday and the Scoopers are in action next on Sunday at Strong Field as they host the Mitchell Kernels in a doubleheader. The first game starts at 10am.
