Bandits beat Smittys 11-4

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BROOKINGS – Jameson Meyer pitched seven innings of three-hit ball and the Bandits scored nine consecutive runs in the middle innings to beat the Aberdeen Smittys 11-4 in a Legion baseball matchup Monday evening at Bob Shelden Field.

The right-hander surrendered two runs – just one earned – while striking out six batters and walking one.

Parker Rykhus and Justin Devine both went 3-for-5 to lead Brookings’ 13-hit attack.

The Smittys opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth, but the Bandits answered with four in the bottom of the inning.

Devine got it going with a single and Christian Mediger followed with an RBI double.

Tanner Shepardson walked and Preston Helmbolt reached on a fielder’s choice, as Mediger was put out at third.

Tyler Kreutner, who went 2-for-5, came up next and lined a triple to left field to drive in a pair of runs. He scored on Jacob Schoon’s groundout to put Post 74 up 4-2.

Devine started a two-out rally in the fifth with another hit. He made it to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Mediger single to push the margin to 5-2. It marked the second RBI of the game for Mediger, who finished 2-for-3 with a pair of walks.

Brookings continued to add to the lead in the sixth.

Helmbolt was hit by a pitch and stole second. Schoon stroked a run-scoring single with one away – his second RBI of the night – and also stole second.

Rykhus came through with an RBI single and Ryan McMacken followed with a hit.

Rykhus and McMacken moved up 90 feet on a balk, and the former scored on a passed ball soon thereafter. Devine reached on an error, which allowed McMacken to score and make it 9-2.

Post 24 stopped the scoring streak with two runs in the top of the eighth.

Jared Bjordal singled and Brandon Kusler and Tyler Traphagen (one out) walked to load the bases. Aiden McCafferty pushed his RBI total to three with a two-run single with two away to cut the deficit to 9-4.

The home team got both runs back in the bottom of the inning.

Rhett Zelinsky walked and Rykhus singled with one out, and then advanced on a wild pitch. McMacken’s groundout drove in Zelinsky and Devine provided for the final margin with a run-scoring hit.

Aberdeen’s two-run fourth frame saw Kusler single and Cole Sippel reach on an error. Traphagen’s sacrifice fly plated Kusler and, after Derek Hunstad singled, McCafferty drove in Sippel with a fielder’s choice.

Isaac VanOrman took the loss after giving up nine runs – seven earned – on 11 hits and three walks with one strikeout in six innings.

Brookings (6-11), which has won five of its past seven games, takes on the Smittys again Monday with a doubleheader at 4 p.m. in Aberdeen.

BROOKINGS 11, ABERDEEN 4

Aberdeen 000 200 020      4    5  1

Brookings 000 414 02x    11  13  2

Isaac VanOrman, Cole Sippel (7) and Matthew Feiock; Jameson Meyer, Rhett Zelinsky (8) and Justin Devine. W – Meyer. L – VanOrman. 2B: A, Tyler Traphagen; B, Christian Mediger. 3B: B, Tyler Kreutner.

Register photo: Brookings starter Jameson Meyer delivers during the first inning of the Bandits’ 11-4 win over Aberdeen on Monday evening at Bob Shelden Field.