STURGIS, SD — The Sturgis Titans held their American Legion season opener and hosted Rapid City Post 22 in a doubleheader at Strong Field on Thursday night, dropping two games to the Hardhats.
Game one was scoreless after two innings until Post 22 erupted for six runs in the top of the third. Wyatt Anderson blasted a triple to center off Titan starter Owen Cass with one out, scoring two runs. The next batter, Harrison Good, doubled off Cass, scoring Anderson to put Post 22 up 3-0. The Titans looked like they would get out of the inning with minimal damage after getting the second out, but the Hardhats loaded the bases and then scored three more to lead 6-0.
Aiden Wood came in on relief in the top of the fourth inning and gave up four more Hardhat runs, before Sturgis plated two in the bottom half of the inning. Post 22 led 10-2 headed into the fifth.
Conner Cruickshank came in to relieve Wood in the top of the fifth and the Hardhats kept pounding the baseball, scoring five runs on three hits. Post 22 put away Sturgis by the 10-run mercy rule in game one, 15-2.
Sturgis finished with seven hits and three errors. David Anderson and Owen Cass each had two hits for the Titans. Post 22 had 14 hits and two errors and were led by Zeke Farlee and Amarion Sailer with three hits each.
Game two was more competitive early, as both Post 22 and Sturgis scored two in the first. The Hardhats tallies two in the second and two more in the third to lead 6-2, before the Titans center fielder David Anderson bombed a two-RBI triple to cut into the Hardhat lead. Cass brought home Anderson with a sacrifice fly and the Titans were only down one run, 6-5, headed into the fourth inning.
Post 22 led 8-7 after the fifth, but timely hitting by the Hardhats along with Titan errors and pitching woes late in the game allowed Post 22 to pull away for a 13-7 victory.
Sturgis (0-2) had five hits, six errors and six stolen bases in game two, led by Evan Stroud, who went 2-for-4. Rapid City had 14 hits and three errors and were led by Zeke Farlee with three hits.
The Titans are in action next Thursday as they travel to Gillette.
