MITCHELL – The Brookings Ditos posted a 4-1 record en route to winning the 12U State Tournament over the weekend.
Brookings went 2-1 in pool play with wins over the Sioux Empire Royals, 17-1, and Mitchell Rockets, 5-3. The Ditos lost a 14-11 decision to Harrisburg, but already had their pool won.
In Sunday’s semifinals, the Ditos downed the Yankton Hurricanes, 7-1, and then beat the Mitchell Shockers, 7-4, in the championship game to finish the season with a 16-8 mark.
Sunday’s Games
Championship
• Brookings 7, Mitchell 4
The Ditos jumped out to a 4-0 lead with two runs in both the bottom of the first and third innings before the Shockers pulled within 4-3 with a three-run fifth.
But Brookings added three insurance runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 7-3 edge into the final frame, where Mitchell scored once for the final margin.
The Ditos finished with seven hits as Nolan Miles tallied two, including a leadoff triple in the third.
Jack Merritt had two hits, including a triple, as he drove in four runs, while Austin Clark notched two hits and an RBI; and Owen Schneider added two hits and picked up the win on the mound.
Semifinal
• Brookings 7, Yankton 1
The Ditos scored three runs in both the first and second innings to cruise to the semifinal win.
The Hurricanes scored a run in the fifth, but Brookings matched it with one in the bottom for the six-run win.
Merritt drove in three runs with two hits; Miles had a pair of hits and an RBI, while David Brink added a pair of hits.
Clark earned the win and helped himself out with a hit.
Pool Play
Friday
• Brookings 17, Sioux Empire Royals 1
`The Ditos tallied 15 hits to rout the Royals in their opening game of the tournament.
Clark earned the win and had one hit while Breck Hirrschoff finished with three hits, including a home run, with three RBIs.
Merritt drove in two runs with two hits; Brink singled and doubled with an RBI; and Cameron Girard had two hits.
Addison Ronning, Will Bauer and Schneider added RBI singles while Maxwell Engebretson and Tate Helmbolt had a pair of hits.
Saturday
• Brookings 5, Mitchell 3
The Ditos put up a run in the first and when the Rockets tied the game in the third, Brookings responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame.
Mitchell pulled with 4-3 with another run in the fourth, but the Ditos added an insurance run in the fifth on Hirrschoff’s insided-the-park home run for the two-run win.
Schneider finished with two hits, while Miles doubled and Merritt had an RBI triple.
Engebretson earned the win.
• Harrisburg 14, Brookings 11
Harrisburg scored five runs in the first; one in the second and two in the third, but the Ditos batted around in the third to take a 9-8 lead through three.
But the visitors on the scoreboard added two in the fourth; one in the fifth and three in the sixth while Brookings could only add single runs in the fourth and sixth in the loss.
Merritt suffered the loss as the Ditos banged out nine hits, including doubles by Miles and Schneider, who finished with three hits and an RBI.
Merritt singled twice and drove in a run, while Miles added a base hit and Ronning finished with two hits.
Courtesy photo: Members of the 2018 Class A State Champion 12U Ditos include (from left): Front row – Nolan Miles, Griffen Bartels and Bat Boy Tallen Bartels; Middle row – David Brink, Breck Hirrshoff, Owen Schneider, Maxwell Engebretson, Tate Helmbolt, Austin Clark, Cameron Girard and Addison Ronning; Back row – Coach Jon Schneider, Coach Scott Merritt, Will Bauer, Jack Merritt, Coach Jason Hirrschoff and Coach Rob Hirrschoff.
