SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Class A baseball post season started on Saturday with the #7 seeded Sioux Falls Washington Warriors hosting the #10 seeded Sturgis Scoopers at Harmodon Field in Region Two. The Scoopers watched the game slip away early and couldn’t recover in a 6-3 loss to the Warriors.
Washington got things moving in the second inning, as Garren Heinert reached first on a Scooper error then advanced to third on a bunt by Grant Behreno. Heinert then stole home during Nate Olson’s at bat to put the Warriors on the board first with a 1-0 lead. Behreno plated a run on a Scooper error give Sioux Falls a 2-0 lead after two innings.
Washington scored four runs in the third inning. Grant Behreno and Olson each had RBIs in the frame. The Scoopers put up a run in the top of the fourth as David Anderson crossed home plate following a Warrior error. Sioux Falls led 6-1 after four innings.
Sturgis showed no quit and kept fighting as Kaden Olson scored in the top of the sixth and Thor Sundstrom scored in the top of the seventh to cut into the Sioux Falls lead. The Scoopers were in the heart of their batting order but the Warriors got Ridge Inhofer to fly out and Anderson to ground out to end the game.
“Sioux Falls Washington is a good baseball team and we felt like we had a good chance to go compete with them,” said Scooper head coach Dominic Bradford. “We found ourselves down 6-0 after three innings and fought to the last out to get back in it.”
Myles Rees was the winning pitcher for Washington. The pitcher allowed three hits and two runs over six innings, striking out 11. Andrew Glovich, Cael Swanson, and Brycen Top all put in work in relief out of the bullpen, steering their team towards the victory.
Kain Peters took the loss for Sturgis, surrendering six runs on five hits over six innings, striking out seven. It was the first complete game of the season for the sophomore right hander, who has struggled with nagging injuries throughout the season.
“We’ve been saving Kain for a majority of the season and he went out and did everything we needed him to do,” Bradford said. “Unfortunately there is only one (state champion) at the end of the season and everyone else will end with a loss. I’m proud of this team. We competed all season long, grew close as a baseball family and made memories that will last a lifetime.”
RJ Andrzejewski led the Scoopers with two hits in four at bats. Olson went 3-for-3 at the plate to lead Washington in hits.
The Scoopers end their season with 10 wins and 11 losses. Sioux Falls Washington moved on to play Sioux Falls Roosevelt, who beat the Douglas Patriots 15-1 in the second game of the day at Harmodon Field. Washington pummeled Roosevelt 11-4 in the Region 2 championship to earn a berth to the State Class A Baseball Tournament. The Warriors join Brandon Valley, O’Gorman and Harrisburg as the top four teams and will play for the state title on Saturday, May 29 at Sioux Falls Stadium.
Portions of this article were powered by Narrative Science and GameChanger Media. Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.
