The amateur baseball season is in full swing after beginning a couple weeks late due to COVID-19.

The Cubs had a trio of games last week, opening with a 12-0 defeat of Aurora on May 27. They fell 8-7 to the Milroy Yankees and then beat Dawson 15-4 on May 31.

Brookings is coming off back-to-back Class A state tournament appearances.

“We lost a few guys, we also gained a few guys, so I think we’re going to be a fairly competitive team from top to bottom,” said manager Jacolby Anderson. “We have a lot of guys that can contribute defensively and offensively. We have a lot of new arms, new faces. I’m excited to see some of those guys stepping in.

“I think we’re going to be a team that a lot of teams in the Sioux Empire League – especially the teams that are very competitive that have made quite a long ways in the state tournament – I think we could be a team that a lot of people underestimate. I like being underdogs; I’ve always loved being an underdog – hopefully we can make a statement and prove some teams wrong and make some noise.”

The Cubs were 19-10 last year, including a 1-2 mark at state. They hosted opening weekend games.

In 2018, they finished 19-10 and were 3-2 at state – falling in the game to go to the final.

Brookings ended 2017 with a 22-6 mark but did not advance to state.

For a while, the odds of having baseball this summer looked bleak due to the pandemic; however, things changed.

“It’s interesting,” noted Anderson. “Being a big baseball guy myself and I know a lot of guys on the team are really big baseball guys, quite honestly if feels great to be out on the field with the respects of COVID-19 and obviously respecting the CDC guidelines and trying to stay as safe as possible. We are all practicing the right things and trying to keep that social distancing intact. I think that’s our ultimate goal.

“But in the end, we all understand that we are doing something that we all enjoy and love. And it’s a passion, I think, for most guys, but at the same time we’re trying to maintain that social distancing and stay safe. Honestly, it’s exciting to be out on the baseball field and doing something we all grew up loving to do and we’re able to continue playing the game that we love.”

Sioux Empire League

There are a few changes this season.

Most notably, perennial power Renner split and there are now two teams – the Monarchs and the Bullets.

The Sioux Falls Saints dropped out due to roster size and coronavirus concerns.

The Baltic RiverDawgs are new to the league.

Vermillion has a team again – the Grey Sox.

Other league teams are the defending state champion Sioux Falls Brewers, Sioux Falls Flying Squirrels and Brandon Rats.

“It sounds like there are some high-caliber teams in our league and we just have to be sharp and show up and be ready to play, because those teams are going to be very good,” Anderson added.

May 27 – Def. Aurora Aces 12-0 (7 inn.)

May 31 – Lost to Milroy Yankees (Minn.) 8-7 (scheduled 7-inning game)

May 31 – Def. Dawson Drakes (Minn.) 15-4 (5 inn.; scheduled 7-inning game)

June 5 – at Clear Lake Lakers, 7:30 p.m.

June 7 – at Clark Traders, 4 p.m.

June 9 – *vs. Baltic Riverdawgs, 7:30 p.m.

June 11 – at Lake Norden Lakers, 8 p.m.

June 13-14 – Cubs seven-team tourney

June 16 – *vs. Sioux Falls Brewers, 7:30 p.m.

June 23 – *vs. Renner Monarchs, 7:30 p.m.

June 26 – at Milroy (Minn.) Irish, TBD

June 28 – *at Renner Bullets, 5 p.m.

July 1 – *vs. Sioux Falls Flying Squirrels, 4 p.m.

July 7 – *at Baltic Riverdawgs, 7:30 p.m.

July 9 – *at Sioux Falls Brewers, 7:30 p.m.

July 12 – *vs. Vermillion Grey Sox, TBD (DH)

July 16 – *vs. Brandon Rats, 7:30 p.m.

July 17 – at Castlewood Ravens, 7:30 p.m.

July 19 – vs. Aberdeen Circus Sports Bar, TBD (DH)

July 21 – at Lennox/Chandler/Worthing Dirt Devils, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 1-2 – North Districts, TBD

Aug. 7-9 – State Tournament, first round, TBD

Aug. 14-16 – State Tournament, second round, Mitchell

   *Sioux Empire League game

   Note: All home games at Langland Field in Aurora.

Next weekend

The Cubs are hosting six teams – Milroy Yankees, Pipestone A’s, Atwater Chuckers, New London-Spicer Twins, Forest Lake Brewers and St. Nicholas Nicks – on June 13-14 in Aurora.

“I played baseball in Atwater, Minnesota, for five years and developed a lot of relationships with a lot of teams. … With COVID-19, they’ve been shut down in Minnesota and are not able to play baseball. So they reached out to me trying to get some games here in South Dakota. It’s been kind of a neat deal. It’s kind of nice to be able to go back with some of those old friends and reestablish those friendships and continue the process,” Anderson said.

“We’re happy to have them come to South Dakota. It creates a little bit different atmosphere for us and we get to see some different faces, different games – that’s always exciting,” he added.

The Cubs face the Forest Lake Brewers on June 14 at noon.

June 13

Milroy Yankees vs. New London-Spicer, 11 a.m.

Milroy Yankees vs. Atwater, 1:15 p.m.

Forest Lake vs. New London-Spicer, 3:30 p.m.

Atwater vs. St. Nicholas, 5:45 p.m.

St. Nicholas vs. Pipestone, 8 p.m.

June 14

Brookings vs. Forest Lake, noon

Pipestone vs. Forest Lake, 2:15 p.m.

Roster

The 19-man roster currently includes Jared Tschetter, Jake Devine, Todd Standish, Tyler Kreutner, Noel Burgos, Kyle Krogman, Joey Texley, Jacob Schoon, Austin Koenig, Seth Fraser, Jeff Fish, Ty Schneider, Jacolby Anderson, Tanner Shepardson, Sam McMacken, Carlos Rodriguez, Marcus Heemstra, Jake Anderson and Justin Devine.

Aaron Jorenby is the team’s administrator/general manager.

Standish and Schneider are both 3-for-6 with four walks on the season. Fish has a pair of home runs, with Anderson, Shepardson and Schneider each adding one. Texley is 1-0 with a 1.500 ERA in two pitching appearances (six innings).

Last year, Fish hit .380 with 28 RBIs and one homer in 25 games. Standish batted .337 with 17 RBIs in 23 contests. McMacken belted three long balls. Schneider ended up at .333 with 16 RBIs and 19 runs in 22 games.

Anderson hit .293 with two homers and 11 RBIs. He went 4-1 with a .956 ERA and a WHIP of .876, striking out 42 batters and walking six in 37 2/3 innings.

In 2018, Fish batted .391 with a homer and 24 RBIs in 23 games. Krogman hit .364 and scored 26 times, while Standish batted .355 with two bombs, 22 RBIs and 30 runs. McMacken (28 RBIs) hit five HRs and Fraser (21) added four. Krogman was 6-3 with a 4.133 ERA in 65 1/2 innings.

Fish and McMacken had big seasons in 2017. Fish hit .423 with 38 RBIs and 23 extra-base hits, including eight round-trippers. McMacken ended up at .450 with 31 RBIs and 20 extra-base hits (six homers).