’Cats hold off Watertown for 7-5 win

Posted

BROOKINGS – The Bobcats built a seven-run lead and then used a game-ending double play to beat Watertown, 7-5, in a high school baseball region matchup on Thursday night at Bob Shelden Field.

Brookings scored three runs in each of the first two innings and then tacked on an insurance tally in the third before the Arrows rallied with a single run in the fifth and four in the sixth to make it close.

The tying run not only reached base in the seventh, but was in scoring position before an Arrow base running error ended the rally – and the game.

“Our bats early were really good,” said BHS assistant coach Mitch McLagan said. “We were aggressive – we knew the pitcher coming in, we wanted to be aggressive early in counts and we swung pretty well.

“Chris Lerdal was really good – especially the first four innings – he was as dominant as I’ve seen him. He didn’t execute a couple of pitches here and there, and then, defensively, we didn’t execute a few plays and things fell apart.

“Drew (Cole) did a wonderful job to get the first out (in relief) and then Brandin Heesch made a great play in center field and we doubled up the guy on third base.”

Lerdal didn’t allow a base runner in the first four innings while the Bobcats piled up the runs.

Walks to Jacob Devine and Cody Niklason set the stage for Akren Prodoeh’s sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position before Lerdal helped himself out with a two-run single.

Drew Cole’s single plated Lerdal for a 3-0 cushion after one complete.

Heesch and Parker Beers led off the bottom of the second with back-to-back singles and then, Devine laid down a sac bunt to move both runners up.

After a short fly ball to the second baseman made it two outs, Prodoehl drove in two runs with a single and later scored after Lerdal singled and Watertown committed an error for a 6-0 lead.

Tyler Kreutner led off the third with a double; moved to second on a ground out; and then, scored on a passed ball.

The Arrows finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth when Trey Schmidt reached on a fielder’s choice; moved to second on a ground out; and then scored on Brayden Schriver’s single.

In the sixth, Tommy Vener was hit by a pitch and later scored when Watertown strung three hits together after one out. Alex Gauer scored on a passed ball, which moved Micah Kauffman and Dawson Wirkus into scoring position. Kauffman scored on a ground out and Wirkus took advantage of a Bobcat throwing error as he went into the third to also scamper home and make it 7-5 through 5 1/2 innings of play.

The Arrows took advantage of two hit batters to open the second before Cole came on in relief.

After a double steal, Cole induced a ground out for the first out and then, Brennan Gabriel lined out to Heesch in center field, with the runner on third getting doubled off the base for the final out as Brookings improved to 9-1.

“The 9-1 record is nice to see, but it doesn’t really show where we’re at,” McLagan said. “Tonight’s a big win – we don’t like playing a region game this early – to play that huge game this early, I thought we did a really nice job.”

The Bobcats take on Sioux Falls Lincoln tonight at Shelden. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.