BROOKINGS – The Bullets split a doubleheader with Sioux Falls West on Monday at Bob Shelden Field, dropping Game 1, 11-5, before coming back with a 14-10 win in Game 2.
Brookings begins state tournament play on Friday in Watertown with a 10 a.m. pool-play game against Brandon Valley.
• S.F. West 11, Brookings 5
Trailing 5-3 through three innings, West rallied with eight runs over the last four innings for the win.
The Bullets used a four-run fourth to overcome a 3-1 deficit.
Brookings got on the scoreboard with a run in the second when Wes Koenig doubled, moved to third on Kolby Weinberg’s single, and scored on a passed ball.
In the fourth, Matthew Girard led off with a single and then stole second before Tanner Huber drew a walk. Both runners moved up on Carter Merritt’s fielder’s choice on a bunt attempt, with Girard scoring on an error as Huber moved to third and Merritt advanced to second. A passed ball allowed Huber to score as Merritt advanced to third. Koenig was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. Koenig stole second, and then, Henry Hammrich grounded out, scoring Merritt as Koenig advanced to third. Jaysen Williams reached on an error as Koenig scored for the 5-3 lead.
But West used eight hits, three walks and three Bullets errors over the final four frames to plate the eight runs.
Mason Bebensee threw the first four frames and allowed six runs – one earned – on nine hits with three strikeouts to get tagged with the loss.
Girard gave up three runs – two earned – in two innings of relief on three hits and four walks with two strikeouts.
Weinberg pitched the seventh and surrendered two unearned runs on two hits.
S.F. WEST 11, BROOKINGS 5
S.F. West 210 312 2 – 11 14 2
Brookings 014 000 0 – 5 4 7
Kaden Frick, Zach Tonglie (5), Mitch Willis (6) and Nate Slowey; Mason Bebensee, Matthew Girard (5), Kolby Weinberg (7) and Wes Koenig. W – Frick. L – Girard. 2B: SFW, Camden Gadbois; B, Wes Koenig.
• Brookings 14, S.F. West 10
Trailing 4-3 after 2 1/2 innings, the Bullets scored 10 runs in the third before adding an insurance run in the fifth to earn the split.
Weinberg was a home run away from the cycle as he drove in three runs with a single, double and triple.
Hammrich added two hits and an RBI while Merritt, Williams and McKeown all singled and drove in a run.
McKeown earned the win in relief as he gave up four runs – two earned – on eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.
Huber started and allowed three runs – two earned – on two hits and three walks over 2 1/3 frames.
Merritt gave up an unearned run on a hit and two walks while Weinberg surrendered two unearned runs in the seventh on two walks with one strikeout.
BROOKINGS 14, S.F. WEST 10
S.F. West 013 121 2 – 10 11 3
Brookings 03(10) 010 x – 14 11 4
Caden Moe, Jackson Albertson (3), Michael Zeman (3), Bennett Yellowbird (6) and Kaden Frick; Tanner Huber, Caden McKeown (3), Carter Merritt (6), Kolby Weinberg (7) and Matthew Girard. W – McKeown. L – Albertson. 2B: SFW, Ben Wheeldryer; B, Kolby Weinberg. 3B: B, Kolby Weinberg.
Register photo: Henry Hammrich runs down a fly ball in center field to start an inning-ending double play during the Bullets’ 11-5 loss in the first game of a doubleheader at Bob Shelden Field. Hammrich threw to first to double off a baserunner to end the third inning.
