STURGIS, S.D. — The Harrisburg Post 45 baseball squad made the long trip from eastern S.D to take on Sturgis Post 33 at Strong Field and left with two convincing wins.
The Tigers started slow in game one and were down 3-1 after one inning, as the Titans scored three runs on three hits in the bottom of the first.
Harrisburg tied the game at three in the second inning behind a run by designated hitter Jack Sutton and a one-RBI double by leadoff hitter Tyson Rogel. Tiger pitcher Kai Yungbluth held Sturgis scoreless in the bottom of the second.
The Tigers exploded for 10 runs on two hits in the top of the third, with 16 batters making plate appearances. Sturgis pitchers walked in five runs on nine total walks in the inning. Harrisburg batters Payton Metzger, Jack Rabern and Chase Mason each scored twice in the top of the third. That inning helpd Harrisburg put Sturgis away early in game one with a 14-4 win in five innings.
Tigers leadoff hitter Tyson Kogel had a great game at the plate, going 2-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and scoring two runs. Right fielder Zeb Wede smashed a one-run home run over the left field fence in the top of the fourth and scored two runs. Harrisburg had five hits and six left on base.
Titan cleanup hitter Ridge Inhofer had a triple and an RBI for Sturgis. Post 33 ended game one with five hits and five left on base.
Yungbluth got the win on the mound for Harrisburg, pitching 2 2/3 innings, striking out one and walking five with five hits. Jack Teigen got the save. Titan pitcher David Anderson took the loss for Sturgis.
Game two was much more competitive until the later innings. The Post 33 Titans led Harrisburg 7-1 after the fourth inning until the Tigers scored six runs in the fifth on six hits. Sturgis was three up and three down in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings and the score was tied 7-7. Harrisburg tacked on four more runs in the sixth inning, taking advantage of Titan fielding and throwing errors. The Tigers led 11-7 following the top of the sixth.
Post 33 put on their rally caps in the bottom half of the sixth behind a two-run home run by pitcher Dylan Gillespie to cut the Tiger lead to 11-9. Harrisburg pitchter Payton Metzger then shut the door on Sturgis, with his offense adding seven runs in the seventh to beat Sturgis, 18-9 in the nightcap.
The Tigers had 15 hits and seven left on base, led by Metzger, who was 3-5 with a single, double, triple, three RBIs and three runs scored. Metzger also got the win on the mound for Harrisburg, giving up three runs on six hits through 5 1/3 innings.
The Titans finished game two with 13 hits and seven left on base. Gillsepie was 2-4 with a single, a home run and three RBI. Catcher Zack Hess was 1-3 with a single and three runs scored. Gillespie took the loss for Post 33, with 88 pitches through two innings. Gillsepie struck out two, walked five and gave up 11 runs.
Sturgis Post 33, 17-6 on the season, hosts Belle Fourche on Wednesday evening at Strong Field. First pitch is at 7pm. Harrisburg, 15-7 on the season, takes on Rapid City Post 22 in a doubleheader at Fitzgerald Stadium on Friday. First game starts at 4pm.
