BROOKINGS – Sioux Falls Lincoln scored eight first-inning runs and then added 10 more over the next four at-bats to down the Bobcats, 18-5, in five innings on Tuesday afternoon at Bob Shelden Field.
“I think Lincoln is a lot more experienced team, a lot more returning players than what we have,” said BHS head coach Ryan Bauer. “We had a setback offensively – there’s been some games we have really taken advantage of every at-bat and tonight we dug ourselves an 8-run hole and never came out of it.
”Our at-bats were easy outs tonight and we had five errors – something we haven’t had.”
The Patriots sent 12 batters to the plate in the first frame as they picked up six singles to go along with a pair of walks and a Brookings error to build the early advantage.
Lincoln sandwiched two singles around an RBI double in the second to tack on a couple more runs, and then, batted around the lineup in the third to plate six more runs for a 16-0 lead through 2 1/2 innings.
A base on balls, followed by a wild pitch and another Bobcat miscue allowed a lone run in the fourth before a pair of singles around an error in the fifth accounted for the Patriots’ final run.
The ‘Cats answered with five runs in the bottom of the fifth, starting when Parker Rykhus singled with one out; Christian Mediger took one for the team to put runners on first and second; and Rhett Zelinsky reached on an infield error, which allowed Rykhus to score.
Brock Luze’s single to center field loaded the bases for Tyler Kreutner to drive in two runs with a base hit to left field. Both Luze and Kreutner moved up a base on the throw to the plate.
Tanner Shepardson’s groundball was misplayed, putting runners on the corners as Luze scored and Kreutner advanced to third. Ryan McMacken’s groundout to third base plated Kreutner to make it 18-5 as the game ended early via the run rule when Shepardson was stranded on second on another groundball out.
Daniel Messerli suffered the loss as he gave up 16 runs – 11 earned – on 13 hits and four walks with one strikeout over three innings. Brady Ammann tossed the final two innings and allowed two unearned runs on two hits and a walk with a strikeout.
Elliot Hackett picked up the win after not allowing a hit and striking out one over two innings. Grant Loudenback went three innings and gave up five runs – two earned – on three hits with two strikeouts.
The Bobcats, 2-5 on the young season, play host to Sioux Falls Roosevelt on Thursday. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.
S.F. LINCOLN 18, BROOKINGS 5
S.F. Lincoln 826 11 – 18 15 2
Brookings 000 05 – 5 4 5
Elliot Hackett, Grant Loudenback (3) and Nick Kemper; Daniel Messerli, Brady Ammann (4) and Justin Devine. W – Hackett. L – Messerli. 2B: SFL, Oliver Lockwood-Powell, Nick Kemper.
