RAPID CITY, SD – The Post 22 Hardhats made mistakes early but surged late in the game and scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat the Sturgis Post 33 Titans, 9-2 in American Legion baseball action on Tuesday.
It was the first meeting for Post 33 and Post 22 at the recently renovated Black Hills Surgical Hospital Ball Park, formerly known as Fitzgerald Stadium and the game did not disappoint.
Hunter Tillery was the starting pitcher for the Hardhats and stymied the Titans in the top of the first inning, striking out the side on just 14 pitches. Titan’s ace right hander, Kain Peters, took the mound for Sturgis in the bottom half of the inning and had trouble finding his spots early, walking leadoff hitter Jed Sullivan. Sullivan stole second and then advanced to third base on a passed ball. Bransen Kuehl pounded a sacrifice fly deep to right field to bring home Sullivan and Post 22 led Sturgis, 1-0. Peters walked the next batter, Drew Scherbenske, who quickly stole second, putting himself into scoring position. Jake Goble then stroked a single to center field, scoring Scherbenske and increasing the Hardhat lead to 2-0 after one inning.
David Anderson led off the top half of the second with a single for Post 33’s first hit. Owen Cass then flew out to right field and Dustin Alan struck out and it looked like Tillery would close out the inning quickly. But Anderson had different ideas as he stole second base to move into scoring position. Tillery walked the next batter, Gage Murphey, and Kain Peters poked a single out to center field to score Anderson, cutting the Post 22 lead to 2-1 after two innings.
Peters found his groove through the next two innings, holding the Hardhats scoreless with a mixture of high heat and off-speed pitches. Post 33 plated a run in the top of the fourth as Murphey scored on a Post 22 error to tie up the game at two runs apiece. The Hardhats scored again in the bottom of the fourth after a single and stolen base by Wyatt Anderson that led to a one-RBI single by center fielder Harrison Good to give Post 22 a 3-2 lead after four innings.
Tillery went back to work for Post 22 and held the Titans scoreless on just two hits through the next two innings. Peters left the game for Post 33 after four innings and was relieved by Murphey, who held the Hardhats scoreless in the fifth. The Hardhats opened up the floodgates in the sixth inning, scoring six runs on five hits to put the game out of reach with a 9-2 victory over the Titans.
Tillery got the win for Post 22, giving up two runs on seven hits over six and a third innings. Tillery struck out nine Titans on 105 pitches. Wilson Kieffer came in to relieve Tillery and threw two-thirds of an inning out of the bullpen to secure the save.
Kain Peters took the loss for the Post 33 Titans. The right hander went four innings, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out two.
Sturgis had eight total hits on the evening. Kain Peters, David Anderson, and Gage Murphey each had two hits for Sturgis Post 33. The Titans fall to 10-16 for the summer Legion season.
Post 22 totaled nine hits. Harrison Good, Jake Goble, Wyatt Anderson and Drew Scherbenske had two hits apiece for the Hardhats, who improved to 25-23 on the year.
Post 33 hosts Post 22 on Wednesday night at Strong Field for their final home game of the Legion season. The game is dedicated to former Scooper and Titan standout athlete Josh Weisz and his family. Weisz lost his life last summer at Orman Dam. There will be no admission charged but donations will be accepted at the gate in the memory of Josh Weisz. First pitch is scheduled for 7pm.
