HARRISBURG – Two-time defending Class A state champion Brookings opened the high school baseball season with a 4-1 defeat of Harrisburg on Thursday evening.
Chris Lerdal pitched five innings of shutout ball, giving up three hits with three strikeouts and two walks, to earn the win.
Leadoff hitter Jacob Devine led the Bobcats’ seven-hit attack with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate.
Brookings opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the third.
Justin Devine and Jacob Devine had back-to-back bunt singles with one out. Tyler Kreutner then reached on an error, which allowed Justin Devine to score.
Jacob Schoon came through with a two-out, two-run single to make it 3-0.
Drew Cole led off the fourth with a single, moved to third on Parker Beers’ hit and then scampered home on Ryan McMacken fielder’s choice.
Brandin Heesch had the Bobcats’ other hit.
Cole threw the final two innings, giving up one run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts and a walk.
The Tigers avoided the shutout with a run in the bottom of the seventh.
Anthony Lanier, who ended up 2-for-3, and Jakob Reuwsaat tallied consecutive one-out singles and Jared Inskeep walked to load the bases.
Sam Menke drove in the run after hitting into a fielder’s choice. Collin Kehrwald, the team’s leadoff hitter, lined out to center field to end the game.
Harrisburg starter Leif Thorson allowed four runs – one earned – on seven hits with three strikeouts in a complete-game performance.
Brookings competes in the Border Battle on Saturday at Harmodon Complex in Sioux Falls, facing Fargo Shanley at noon at Fargo South at 2 p.m.
BROOKINGS 4, HARRISBURG 1
Brookings 003 100 0 – 4 7 1
Harrisburg 000 000 1 – 1 5 1
Chris Lerdal, Drew Cole (6) and Jacob Schoon; Leif Thorson and Camden Berndt. W – Lerdal. L – Thorson.
