STURGIS, SD – The Sturgis Scooper baseball team hosted the Tea Area Titans and the Douglas Patriots in a doubleheader at Strong Field on Friday night, winning one and losing one.
Tea Area held on for a 3-2 victory over the Scoopers in game one, and Sturgis took the nightcap from Douglas 13-3 in five innings due to the mercy rule.
The Scoopers celebrated Senior Night at Strong Field in between games, honoring Taten Corkins, George Hamer, Barrett Patterson, Carter Williams, Brand Matthews and Dalyn Dschaak. Both Tea Area and Sturgis are outside the top 16 teams in the Class A baseball standings and understood that the game had playoff implications.
The Tea Area Titans got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning in the opening game as leadoff hitter Tyson Gilbert singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch, then scored on a hit by Ben Vasecka. The Titans led 1-0 until the fourth inning, when Tea Area’s Cole McKinney walked, stole second, then was driven home on a double by Jake Lingren. Lingren crossed home plate as Gilbert singled to right field off starting pitcher Elijah Stroud with two outs, giving the Titans a 3-0 lead. Tate Johnson came in to relieve Stroud on the mound and struck out Landyn Johnson to end the inning.
Sturgis was hitless heading into the bottom of the fifth inning when Jeren Andrzejewski singled and Carson Williams walked, putting runners at first and second. Scooper head coach Aris Rodriguez ordered a double steal and Andrzejewski scored on a throwing error to third base by Tea Area, making the score 3-1. Williams then scored on a single by Tate Johnson and Tea Area led 3-2 headed into the sixth inning.
Neither team could plate any runs in the sixth and seventh innings and the Titans ended the game on a double play in the bottom of the seventh, earning the 3-2 win.
Bryson Prussman got the pitching win for Tea Area (4-11), striking out eight, walking four and giving up just two hits on 95 pitches. Cole McKinney got the save. The Titans pounded out six hits and left eight on base and were led by Gilbert and Vasecka, who had two hits apiece.
The Scoopers (3-12) had three hits and left four on base. Carson Williams, Andrzejewski and Tate Johnson each had a hit for Sturgis. Stroud took the pitching loss for the Scoopers, giving up four hits, three runs and walking two on 79 pitches.
The Scoopers led 4-1 headed into the bottom of the fourth inning in the nightcap against the Douglas Patriots when the floodgates opened. Sturgis plated nine runs on a mix of six Scooper hits and several Patriot throwing errors to take a 13-1 lead into the fifth inning. Jace Thurman came in as a relief pitcher in the top of the fifth and gave up two runs, but did enough to help the Scoopers end the game by the 10-run mercy rule, 13-3.
Starting pitcher Brand Matthews and Thurman earned a combined no-hitter, striking out seven and walking five on 92 pitches. The Scoopers had eight hits and left four on base and were led by senior left fielder Taten Corkins, who went 2-for-3 at the dish, scoring two runs. Sturgis improved to 4-12 on the season.
Douglas (0-7) went hitless in the game and left three on base. Carson Hicks took the pitching loss for the Patriots, surrendering four hits, striking out five and walking two on 90 pitches. Douglas had five errors in the contest.
The Scoopers are in action again on Saturday at Strong Field as they host the Rapid City Central Cobblers at 5pm.
