STURGIS, S.D. — The Sturgis Post 33 Titans started slow but finished strong against a tough Billings baseball team, beating the Upper Deck Expos 10-5 in a seven inning affair to take their record to 2-0 as the hosts of the Sturgis Baseball Rally Tournament.
Starting pitcher David Anderson opened up the game on fire, striking out the first three Billings batters on 12 pitches. The Titans hitters also started off strong behind singles from Thor Sundstrom and Anderson, with both scoring runs in the bottom of the first. Sturgis led 2-0 after one inning. Anderson took the mound in the top of the second and struck out the first Billings batter but then walked four of the next five. Center fielder Gabe Story’s single scored Brydon O’Donnell and Anderson walked in one run to tie the score at two. Anderson was replaced by Colton Cruickshank after 1 1/3 innings pitched, giving up one hit on four walks and four strike outs.
Post 33 scored two in the bottom of the second inning and Billings put up one run in the top of the third. Sturgis was held scoreless in the bottom of the third. In the top of the fourth, the Upper Deck Expos had the bases loaded after three straight walks by Cruickshank. Titans head coach Dominic Bradford brought in lefty John Fischer with the bases loaded to end Cruickshank’s night on the mound after 40 pitches through 1 2/3 innings. Fischer got Cooper Hanson to ground out into a 4-6-3 double play, scoring Connor Tyrell to tie the game at four. The next batter, Brad Alexander, grounded out to shortstop Gage Murphy, ending the top half of the inning for Billings.
In the bottom of the fourth, Anderson crushed a triple over Billings center fielder O’Donnell and then scored for Post 33 on a sacrifice fly by Dylan Gillespie to give the Titans a one run lead, 5-4. Sturgis held Billings scoreless in the fifth on another double play by the Titans.
Sturgis broke the game open in the bottom half of the fifth with five runs on seven hits. Sundstrom had a two-RBI triple in the inning and scored a run, as 10 Titans made plate appearances. Post 33 extended their lead to 10-5 after five innings.
The Titan defense was flawless through the last two innings, turning two more double plays to shut down the Billings offense. The Upper Deck Expos added one more run in the top of the seventh but it wasn’t enough to extend the game and Sturgis Post 33 defeated Billings, 10-5.
Colton Cruickshank got the win on the mound for Sturgis with John Fischer securing the save. Brydon O’Donnell took the loss for Billings.
Sturgis finished the night with 18 hits, seven left on base and four double plays. Sundstrom was the Sturgis Subs Player of the Game, with two singles, one triple, two RBIs and two runs scored. Anderson also had three hits, two RBIs and scored three runs. Billings had seven hits and seven left on base.
The Titans, 2-0 in the tournament, face Cheyenne at 8am on Sunday morning. If Sturgis beats Cheyenne they will play in the tournament championship on Sunday afternoon at 4pm.
