Bandits drop season-opening game, 6-5, to Mitchell

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BROOKINGS – The Bandits’ opening-game comeback was thwarted when Mitchell broke a tie with a run in the ninth inning to win 6-5 in American Legion baseball action on Thursday night at Bob Shelden Field.

Post 17 plated a run in the first and then tacked on two in the third to go up 3-0 and still led 5-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth before the Bandits pulled even with three runs to tie it up.

But Jed Schmidt led off the final frame with a double down the left-field line; moved to third on a one-out ground out; and then scored on Carson Max’ single down the right-field line to give Mitchell the 6-5 edge.

Koby Larson allowed a one-out base hit by Ryan McMacken, but then induced a pop-fly out to second base and a line-drive out to second to strand McMacken and earn the win in relief.

“We swung the bats a lot better today than what we did in the Spring (high school season), so that was a positive sign for us,” said Bandit head coach Zach Thomas. “Jacob Devine did a pretty good job (on the mound) for having only a fastball – he couldn’t throw a curve ball or a changeup for a strike – so he competed really hard and we stuck with it.

“That’s a really good team in Mitchell – probably the top three or four team in the state – it shows how good we can be when we field the ball. We have a lot of little things to clean up and we probably win that game 5-3 if we can hold the runners and not get abused on the bases so bad.

“Overall, a pretty positive game for us.”

Schmidt singled to open the game; stole second and third; and then scored on Spencer Neugebauer’s one-out infield single to get Post 17 on the scoreboard.

In the third, Bailey Miller walked; moved to second on a groundout; and then scored on Elijah Pommer’s double to left field. Pommer moved to third on a passed ball and scored on the throwback to the pitcher after Max drew a walk to put Mitchell up 3-0.

Brookings got a run back in the bottom of the third when Cody Niklason reached base on a fielder’s choice before back-to-back singles by Akren Prodoehl and Jameson Meyer loaded the bases. Tyler Kreutner’s sacrifice fly to center field plated Niklason but the Bandits left the bases loaded after Drew Cole drew a walk but Miller got out of the jam as he forced a groundout to second base.

With two outs in the fifth, Pommer took one for the team; stole second; and scored on Neugebauer’s single to give Mitchell a 4-1 lead.

The Bandits got that run back in the sixth when Justin Devine singled with two outs and then scored on Chris Lerdal’s double.

Post 17 strung together three straight singles with one out in the eighth to go up 5-2 before the Bandits rallied in the bottom.

McMacken and Devine drew walks and then Niklason walked with one out to load the bases. Prodoehl doubled to left to plate McMacken and Devine before Niklason scored on a fielder’s choice to tie the game at 5-5 heading into the ninth, where Mitchell scored the game-winning run.

Jacob Devine allowed four runs – three earned – on seven hits and four walks with four strikeouts in seven innings of work. Drew Cole suffered the loss in relief as he gave up two runs on six hits with one strikeout.

Miller went the first six innings for Post 17 as he allowed two runs on 10 hits and two walks with one strikeout. Drew Kitchens threw 1 1/3 inning of middle relief – giving up three runs on two hits and three walks before Larson tossed the final 1 2/3 innings – allowing just McMacken’s single.

The Bandits are back at Bob Shelden this afternoon against Sioux Falls East. The doubleheader starts at 5 p.m.

MITCHELL 6, BROOKINGS 5

Mitchell                      102 010 011 – 6 13 1

Brookings                    001 001 030 – 5 13 1

Bailey Miller, Drew Kitchens (7), Koby Larson (8) and Sam Michels; Jacob Devine, Drew Cole (8) and Cody Niklason. W – Larson. L – Cole. 2B: M, Jed Schmidt, Elijah Pommer; B, Chris Lerdal, Akren Prodoehl, Drew Cole.