HURON – The Bandits were eliminated from the Region 1A Legion Baseball Tournament on Thursday but earned a spot in the Wild Card play-in game.
Brookings opened the day with a 12-1, seven-inning defeat of host Post 7 but dropped a 9-4 game to top-seeded Renner.
Post 74 (14-21) finished with a 2-2 mark in the tourney, taking third.
Aberdeen defeated Renner earlier in the day. The two teams play for the title today, as the Smittys need one win and the Royals need two wins to take the championship.
Aberdeen and Renner automatically qualified for the Class A State Tournament, to be held July 26-30 at Fitzgerald Stadium in Rapid City.
The Wild Card play-in game winner also advances to state.
• Renner 9, Brookings 4
Nick Hoekstra went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and four runs scored, and Austin Rhode threw six solid innings as the Royals advanced.
Rhode gave up three runs on five hits and five walks with three strikeouts.
Renner never trailed, scoring one run in the second frame and three in the third to move ahead 4-0. Brookings twice pulled within two runs – 4-2 after 4 1/2 innings, 5-3 after six and 6-4 through 7 1/2 – but Renner sealed the deal with a three-run eighth.
Quentin Evers finished 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Peyton Garbers was 3-for-5 with an RBI.
Trey Rogers, Cayden Veland and Ryan Merrill each added an RBI. Spencer Koelewyn doubled.
Evers tossed two scoreless inning to pick up the save.
Brookings’ Akren Prodoehl ended up 2-for-3 with a double, two walks and a pair of RBIs.
Jameson Meyer, who doubled and drove in a run, and Chris Lerdal contributed two hits apiece. Jacob Devine, who also doubled, had the team’s other RBI. Cody Niklason and Tyler Kreutner both singled.
Niklason took the loss, surrendering six runs on 12 hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 7 1/2 innings.
RENNER 9, BROOKINGS 4
Brookings 000 021 010 – 4 9 0
Renner 013 010 13x – 9 15 2
Cody Niklason, Brandon Nelson (8) and Akren Prodoehl; Austin Rhode, Cayden Veland (7), Quentin Evers (8) and Trey Rogers. W – Rhode. L – Niklason. Sv – Evers. 2B: B, Jacob Devine, Jameson Meyer, Prodoehl; R, Quentin Evers, Spencer Koelewyn.
• Brookings 12, Huron 1 (7 inn.)
Drew Cole tossed a three-hitter, giving up one run with four strikeouts and two walks, to help lift the Bandits over Post 7.
The offense provided plenty of support, scoring a pair of runs in each of the first two innings and then breaking things open with a seven-spot in the fifth.
Jacob Devine and Jameson Meyer opened the bottom of the first with back-to-back walks, and then advanced on a groundout. Chris Lerdal’s groundout plated Jacob Devine. Cody Niklason, who finished 2-for-4, followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.
In the second, Justin Devine reached on a one-out error, Tyler Kreutner walked and Jacob Devine was hit by a pitch. Meyer also took one for the team, forcing in Justin Devine. Akren Prodoehl, who went 3-for-4, added a run-scoring single to push the margin to 4-0.
Meyer was again hit by a pitch to open the fifth and Prodoehl singled. Lerdal’s sacrifice fly drove in Meyer – his second RBI of the game.
After Prodoehl stole second, Jacob Schoon had a two-out RBI single. Brandon Nelson, who was 2-for-4, singled and Justin Devine drew a walk to load the bases.
Kreutner walked to plate Schoon. Jacob Devine notched a two-run hit. Kreutner scored on a double steal. Meyer then reached on an error, which allowed Jacob Devine to score and push the margin to 11-0.
In the sixth, Niklason singled with one out and Nelson did the same with two away. Niklason swiped home on a double steal to give Brookings a 12-0 advantage.
Huron scored its lone run in the top of the seventh as Matty Katz stroked an RBI double to score Walker Shiltz, who walked.
Jacob Devine, Meyer, Justin Devine and Kreutner each scored twice.
Deion Waddle took the loss after giving up 10 runs – nine earned – on five hits and five walks with two strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
BROOKINGS 12, HURON 1 (7 inn.)
Huron 000 000 1 – 1 3 2
Brookings 220 071 x – 12 9 1
Deion Waddle, Walker Shiltz (5) and Matty Katz; Drew Cole and Cody Niklason. W – Cole. L – Waddle. 2B: H, Katz.
