- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 444,118
- Reaction score
- 44
Teams from Watertown and Aberdeen each posted their first South Dakota high school baseball wins of this decade over the weekend.
There is an asterisk to that statement. Both the Watertown Arrows Post 17 and the Aberdeen Smittys are back playing in the South Dakota High School Baseball Association this spring for the first time since 2019 (Watertown) and 2016 (Aberdeen).
Post 17 evened its record to 2-2 by notching a doubleheader sweep over Rapid City Central 11-4 and 15-5 on Saturday at Watertown Stadium. The Smittys (2-0) followed on Sunday by also sweeping the Cobblers 23-8 and 20-5 at Fossum Field in Aberdeen.
Watertown bounced back after suffering two losses to Madison-Chester on Tuesday.
"Even though these were just our third and fourth games of the season, they were important wins for us at this stage," Watertown coach Ryan Neale said. "Coming off two tough losses on Tuesday — after only 45 minutes of outdoor practice prior to those games — we were able to shake off some offseason rust and show what we're capable of offensively. Scoring 26 runs on 22 hits in just 10 innings was exactly the kind of response we needed early in the year."
Watertown's scheduled doubleheader at O'Gorman on Monday has been postponed. Post 17 will visit Brookings on Thursday, April 24.
WATERTOWN — Post 17 trailed 2-0 after three innings and 4-2 after 4 1/2 innings in the opener before taking control by scoring seven runs the bottom of the fifth inning.
A two-run single by Talan Jurgens snapped a 4-4 tie and Cole Hansen plated two more runs with a check-swing double to left field.
Jurgens spearheaded Watertown's 11-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with three runs batted in. Treyton Himmerich also drove in two runs for Post 17, which got a triple from Markus Pitkin and doubles from Kaden Rylance and Mitch Olson.
WATERTOWN-ABERDEEN BASEBALL PREVIEW: Watertown, Aberdeen and other area baseball teams are ready to take the field
"Getting outside for full practices on Wednesday and Friday made a big difference in how our guys saw the ball at the plate," Neale added. "It was a great day for baseball. We had a strong home crowd and it just felt good to play well in front of them early in the season."
Luka Lessin earned the win in relief of Watertown starter Nash Berg, who allowed zero earned runs in four innings. Jonathan Lake pitched the final inning.
Tucker Jones had two of Rapid City's six hits.
Rapid City again scored first in the second game, plating a run in the top of the first inning. Post 17 answered with four runs in the bottom of the first and pulled away with another seven-run uprising in the bottom of the second.
The game ended in the fifth because of the 10-run rule.
Berg sparked another 11-hit attack for Watertown by going 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Olson had two hits for two RBIs, Pitkin two hits and three runs scored and Lake a double and single with two runs scored and three RBIs. Rylance and Briggs also drove in two runs and Himmerich contributed a double.
Ashton Rabine went three innings for the win. Max Dylla pitched the final two innings.
"Through these first four games, we've been able to get all of our healthy pitchers on the mound, which is a valuable experience — especially for the younger guys seeing varsity action for the first time," Neale said. "Our goal is to get 1-percent better every day, and I truly believe we did that today with these two wins."
The Smittys are scheduled to visit Pierre for a doubleheader on Thursday.
ABERDEEN — The Smittys' return to high school baseball couldn't have gone any better.
They rolled to two victories in games shortened by the 15-run rule. Aberdeen mixed 13 hits with eight walks and seven hit batsmen in the opener and 10 hits with 13 walks and two hit batsmen in the second game.
The Smittys snapped a 4-4 tie in the first game by scoring nine runs in the bottom of the third inning and 10 in the bottom of the fourth. A 13-run first inning got Aberdeen going in the second game.
SPRING TOP PERFORMERS: Spring season off and running for track, tennis, baseball, softball athletes
Jehiel Aviles and Michael Dutenhoffer each went 3-for-4 with three RBIs for Aberdeen in the opener. Dutenhoffer clubbed a triple and a double and Aviles a double. Ridley Waldo drove in three runs with two hits. Grant Beyer added two hits including a triple. Joran Foss also laced a triple and Jared Klootwyk a double.
Karson Borge went 3-for-4 with a double, inside-the-park homer and four RBIs in the second game for the Smittys. Aviles was 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Jaxon Ladner doubled and drove in three runs. Foss, Joe Cogley and Levi Hoffman each added two RBIs.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Watertown, Aberdeen high school baseball teams play their home openers
Continue reading...
There is an asterisk to that statement. Both the Watertown Arrows Post 17 and the Aberdeen Smittys are back playing in the South Dakota High School Baseball Association this spring for the first time since 2019 (Watertown) and 2016 (Aberdeen).
Post 17 evened its record to 2-2 by notching a doubleheader sweep over Rapid City Central 11-4 and 15-5 on Saturday at Watertown Stadium. The Smittys (2-0) followed on Sunday by also sweeping the Cobblers 23-8 and 20-5 at Fossum Field in Aberdeen.
Watertown bounced back after suffering two losses to Madison-Chester on Tuesday.
"Even though these were just our third and fourth games of the season, they were important wins for us at this stage," Watertown coach Ryan Neale said. "Coming off two tough losses on Tuesday — after only 45 minutes of outdoor practice prior to those games — we were able to shake off some offseason rust and show what we're capable of offensively. Scoring 26 runs on 22 hits in just 10 innings was exactly the kind of response we needed early in the year."
Watertown's scheduled doubleheader at O'Gorman on Monday has been postponed. Post 17 will visit Brookings on Thursday, April 24.
You must be registered for see images attach
Late surge lifts Watertown in the opener
WATERTOWN — Post 17 trailed 2-0 after three innings and 4-2 after 4 1/2 innings in the opener before taking control by scoring seven runs the bottom of the fifth inning.
A two-run single by Talan Jurgens snapped a 4-4 tie and Cole Hansen plated two more runs with a check-swing double to left field.
Jurgens spearheaded Watertown's 11-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with three runs batted in. Treyton Himmerich also drove in two runs for Post 17, which got a triple from Markus Pitkin and doubles from Kaden Rylance and Mitch Olson.
WATERTOWN-ABERDEEN BASEBALL PREVIEW: Watertown, Aberdeen and other area baseball teams are ready to take the field
"Getting outside for full practices on Wednesday and Friday made a big difference in how our guys saw the ball at the plate," Neale added. "It was a great day for baseball. We had a strong home crowd and it just felt good to play well in front of them early in the season."
Luka Lessin earned the win in relief of Watertown starter Nash Berg, who allowed zero earned runs in four innings. Jonathan Lake pitched the final inning.
Tucker Jones had two of Rapid City's six hits.
You must be registered for see images attach
Another 7-spot in Game 2 for Post 17
Rapid City again scored first in the second game, plating a run in the top of the first inning. Post 17 answered with four runs in the bottom of the first and pulled away with another seven-run uprising in the bottom of the second.
The game ended in the fifth because of the 10-run rule.
Berg sparked another 11-hit attack for Watertown by going 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Olson had two hits for two RBIs, Pitkin two hits and three runs scored and Lake a double and single with two runs scored and three RBIs. Rylance and Briggs also drove in two runs and Himmerich contributed a double.
Ashton Rabine went three innings for the win. Max Dylla pitched the final two innings.
"Through these first four games, we've been able to get all of our healthy pitchers on the mound, which is a valuable experience — especially for the younger guys seeing varsity action for the first time," Neale said. "Our goal is to get 1-percent better every day, and I truly believe we did that today with these two wins."
The Smittys are scheduled to visit Pierre for a doubleheader on Thursday.
You must be registered for see images attach
Aberdeen also gets the sweep over Rapid City Central
ABERDEEN — The Smittys' return to high school baseball couldn't have gone any better.
They rolled to two victories in games shortened by the 15-run rule. Aberdeen mixed 13 hits with eight walks and seven hit batsmen in the opener and 10 hits with 13 walks and two hit batsmen in the second game.
The Smittys snapped a 4-4 tie in the first game by scoring nine runs in the bottom of the third inning and 10 in the bottom of the fourth. A 13-run first inning got Aberdeen going in the second game.
SPRING TOP PERFORMERS: Spring season off and running for track, tennis, baseball, softball athletes
Jehiel Aviles and Michael Dutenhoffer each went 3-for-4 with three RBIs for Aberdeen in the opener. Dutenhoffer clubbed a triple and a double and Aviles a double. Ridley Waldo drove in three runs with two hits. Grant Beyer added two hits including a triple. Joran Foss also laced a triple and Jared Klootwyk a double.
Karson Borge went 3-for-4 with a double, inside-the-park homer and four RBIs in the second game for the Smittys. Aviles was 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Jaxon Ladner doubled and drove in three runs. Foss, Joe Cogley and Levi Hoffman each added two RBIs.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Watertown, Aberdeen high school baseball teams play their home openers
Continue reading...
