SPEARFISH, SD – The Sturgis Post 33 Titans took on their ‘crosstown’ rivals, the Spearfish Post 164 Spartans on Thursday evening and lost game one by the 10-run mercy rule, 11-1 in six innings, but bounced back to take game two, 10-4.
Game one was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Tony Serrano led off with a home run over the left field fence to put Spearfish up 1-0. The runs kept coming for Post 164, as 14 batters made plate appearances and the Spartans plated eight more runs to lead 9-0 headed into the fifth.
Sturgis got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth as Dylan Christianson smacked a single to centerfield, scoring Yaden Miller to make the score 9-1. Spearfish added runs in the fifth and six innings to end the game by the 10-run mercy rule, 11-1.
Braden Ericks earned the win for Spearfish Post 164, surrendering three hits and one run over six innings, striking out four and walking four. Dylan Christenson took the loss for Post 33, giving up six hits and six runs over three and one-third innings.
Post 164 had nine hits and were led by Serrano, who went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a home run. Sturgis had three hits in the game.
Titan head coach Wade Huntington went with one of his pitching aces in game two, Beau Peters, to try and split the doubleheader. The Post 33 bats finally came alive in the top of the third, as Sturgis scored four runs on five hits to jump out to an early 4-0 lead. Sturgis added two runs in the top of the fifth to extend the lead to 6-0.
It looks like Sturgis would cruise to an easy win, but Spearfish had other ideas. The Spartans plated four runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut into the Titan lead. Peters struck out Carter Lyon to end the Post 164 scoring in the sixth and Post 33 held on to a 6–4 lead.
The Titans added four insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to secure the 10–4 win.
Peters earned the win for Sturgis Post 33, allowing five hits and four runs over six innings, striking out six and walking four. Owen Cass came in for relief in the bottom of the seventh and threw one inning to get the save. David Keller took the loss for Spearfish Post 164.
Sturgis Post 33 amassed 12 hits in the game and were led by Conner Cruickshank, Jake Peters, Bricon Herren, and Adam Flohr with two hits apiece. Aiden Wood and Flohr each drove in two runs for the Titans (10-23).
Ty Sieber, Jack Branum, Braden Ericks, Antonio Serrano, and Carter Lyon each collected one hit for Spearfish Post 164 (13-35).
Sturgis heads out Saturday for an east side swing, playing Watertown in a doubleheader on Saturday and Huron in a doubleheader on Sunday to wrap up the summer regular season. If the Titans make the playoffs, regional action begins on July 21st, opponent to be determined.
