STURGIS, SD – The Sturgis Post 33 Titans took both games of a doubleheader from the Spearfish Post 164 Spartans on Tuesday night at Strong Field, 8-1 in game one and an 8-7 comeback victory in game two.
In game one, Sturgis Post 33 scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning on a single by Drew Janke and a double by Aidan Wood. Spearfish Post 164 plated a run in the top of the third as Tucker Olson scored on a sacrifice fly by Jack Branum.
The Titans scored a run in the top of the fourth and four more in the fifth inning to blow the game wide open to take a 7-1 lead. Sturgis added an insurance run by Janke in the top of the sixth to earn the 8-1 victory.
Brody Royer got the win on the mound for Post 33, giving up just two hits and one earned run on 109 pitches. Royer struck out seven and walked five through 6 2/3 innings. Elijah Stroud came in to get the save. Sturgis finished with seven hits and left eight on base. Janke went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Titans.
Branum took the pitching loss for Spearfish, giving up two hits and one earned run on 40 pitches through two innings. Brock Lewis and Sean Sewell each had a hit for Post 164.
In game two, Spearfish jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Tucker Olson walked and then scored on a double to left field by Jack Branum. Sturgis answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning when Janke and Wood both scored on a double by Stroud. The Titans led 2-1 after one inning.
Sturgis plated three more runs in the second and jumped out to a commanding 5–1 lead. Spearfish Post 164 kept chipping away at the Titan lead and trailed 5–3 after five innings and then broke the game open with four runs in the top of the sixth to take a 7–5 lead.
Sturgis was held scoreless in the bottom of the sixth and had one last chance in the bottom of the seventh inning. Landon Lyons lead off the inning with a single, then Janke doubled to put two on base. Wood stepped to the plate and crushed a double to left centerfield, scoring Lyons and Janke to tie the game at seven. Spearfish brought in their closing pitcher, Tucker Olson with hopes to send the game into extra innings. Wood moved to third base on a ground out by Stroud and the next batter, Brody Royer struck out. Hamer then stepped to the plate with two outs and one on base and poked a single to right field to end the game in walkoff fashion, scoring Wood to give the Titans an 8-7 come from behind win.
Ethan Cermak earned the win for Post 33. The right hander surrendered no hits and no runs over one inning, closing the door on Spearfish. Walker Viessman took the loss for Spearfish Post 164. Viessman went six innings, giving up eight runs (five earned) on nine hits, striking out eight and walking one.
Sturgis Post 33 (12-11) piled up 10 hits in the game and were led by Aidan Wood, who collected three hits in four at bats in the win. Wood doubled in the seventh inning, doubled in the first inning, and singled in the fifth inning.
Stroud and Wood were a one-two punch in the lineup, as each drove in two runs to lead Sturgis Post 33. Janke and Lyons each had two hits for the Titans.
Spearfish (7-17) finished with four hits and were led by Jack Scharf and Sean Sewell with two hits each.
Sturgis Post 33 will travel to Post 22 to take on the Hardhats in Rapid City on Tuesday.
