STURGIS, S.D. – The Scooper girls fast pitch softball team made history on Tuesday as one of 53 teams across South Dakota, competing in their first year of sanctioned play this spring. The excitement was short-lived as the Rapid City Stevens Raiders used two big innings to defeat Sturgis 16-5 in six innings.
The Sturgis girls jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after two innings before Stevens exploded for six runs on five hits in the top of the third. The Scoopers plated three runs in the bottom of the third to trail 6-5 headed into the fourth.
Stevens scored two more and led 8-5 after four innings, when leadoff hitter Sayde Hunt came to the plate to start the fifth and blasted a home run over the left field fence to the delight of the visiting Raider faithful. Stevens scored two more in the inning to take an 11-5 lead.
Rapid City scored five more runs on four hits in the top of the sixth, then held Sturgis scoreless in the bottom half of the inning to beat the Scoopers 16-5 in six innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Lainey Van Zee got the pitching win for Stevens (1-0), striking out eight and giving up only four hits. The Raiders had 13 hits and left 10 on base and were led by Hunt, who went 3-for-5 with two singles, an HR and three RBIs.
Brooke Wolf took the loss for Sturgis (0-1), striking out four. The Scoopers had seven hits and seven left on base and were led by Carsyn Anderson who went 2-for-3 and scored a run.
The Scoopers are in action next on Friday as they take on the Harrisburg Tigers at the Parkview Complex in Rapid City.
