BROOKINGS — The Brookings Post 74 Bandits senior American Legion baseball team continued its hot streak, sweeping a doubleheader with Sioux Falls West at Bob Shelden Field on Tuesday night.

The sweep helped the Bandits improve to 17-15 on the season but also helped them ride a wave of momentum as winners of nine of their last 10 games entering this weekend’s Gopher Classic in Eden Prairie.

“We’ve had some hardships and some tough games and what not, but we just talked about how we know who we are as a team and how big of competitors we are,” Bandits head coach Carter Roach said. “I think really, we’re competing how we know we can compete, playing at a high level and beating good teams. I think the kids buying into that and knowing what they can do is a big part of it.”

While the Bandits are hot, Roach also knows that the field will provide a challenge. The Bandits will open the tournament with a game against East Ridge (Minn.) at 2 p.m. on Friday before facing Rock Island (Ill.) at 5 p.m.

The next two days of the tournament will also be tough as they play games with Minnesota schools Hutchinson and Eden Prairie on Saturday before a game with Bellevue (Neb.) on Sunday morning.

“Eden Prairie is always a beast of a baseball program and then we have three more teams that are going to be a tall task for us,” Roach said of the field. “But we just need to keep competing and good things will happen.”

Game 1: Brookings 8, Sioux Falls West 5

Three players drove in two runs each and the Bandits pulled away in the middle innings before holding on for an 8-5 win in the first game of the doubleheader.

The game had an impressive start for Brookings who turned Tate Helmbolt’s leadoff walk and Owen Schneider’s double into a two-out RBI single by Zach Struck for an early lead in the bottom of the first inning.

Sioux Falls West plated two runs in the top of the second inning on RBI singles by Brock Ades and Tyler Van Roekel but the Bandits took the lead back with a one-out rally in the bottom of the second inning.

Sam Johnson and Helmbolt each drew a walk before Nolan Miles was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Schneider grounded into a fielder’s choice that drove in Johnson to tie the game, but an errant throw allowed Helmbolt to score to give Brookings a 3-2 lead.

The Bandits added to the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Helmbolt and Miles each drew one-out walks and Struck drew another walk to load the bases with two outs. Tane Friedrich and Jase Bauer took advantage with RBI singles to put the Bandits up 6-2.

The final rally came in the bottom of the sixth when Struck, Antonen and Bauer each drew walks leading to a two-run single by Clark to give the Bandits an 8-2 lead.

It was a lead built on the Bandits’ patience, which drew 11 walks including three from Helmbolt and two each from Struck and Bauer.

“We talk a lot about getting good pitches to hit,” Roach said of the Bandits’ approach. “I think we’ve hit a stride in knowing what pitches we can drive and leaving the bad pitches alone and ti’s resulted in some really good discipline at the plate.”

Brookings also recorded six hits in the win including a 2-for-3 performance with two RBI. Schneider went 1-for-3 with a double, a stolen base and two RBI. Struck went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI. Bauer went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Clark went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a stolen base.

Tyson Antonen did his job on the mound, allowing two earned runs on two hits with six strikeouts in four innings before Schneider threw the final three innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk with a strikeout.

Game 2: Brookings 13, Sioux Falls West 8

The Bandits used a seven-run fourth inning to separate for a 13-8 victory in the nightcap.

Jaxon DeHaan gave Sioux Falls West an early lead with an RBI single in the top of the first inning but Brookings loaded the bases when Helmbolt reached on an error, Miles singled and Schneider drew a walk in the bottom of the first inning. Struck cashed in with a bases-clearing double and two batters later, David Brink dove in Struck with a single to give the Bandits a 4-1 lead.

Brookings added to its lead in the bottom of the second inning. Johnson led off with a walk before stealing second base and advanced to third base on a single by Helmbolt. Miles grounded out to drive in Johnson and advance Helmbolt to second base and Helmbolt advanced to third on a fielder’s choice before scoring on Struck’s double that put the Bandits up 6-1.

Sioux Falls West cut into the lead with a Ian Stokes double and a two-run single by Caleb Goodroad in the top of the fourth inning but Brookings loaded up for a big response in the bottom of the fourth.

Schneider drew a one-out walk before Struck hit his second double of the game to put runners on second and third base. Addison Ronning doubled to drive in a run before Brink singled and Clark drove in another run with a single to put Brookings up 9-4.

Bauer drove in two runs with a single and Johnson drove in another run with a double before stealing home to give Brookings a 13-4 lead.

Sioux Falls West scored four times in the top of the fifth inning highlighted by RBI singles by Grant Prouty and Goodroad but Struck and Brink were able to finish the game to give the Bandits another win and a boost of confidence during the hot streak.

“I think everyone is seeing themselves and their teammates succeeding,” Roach said. “We’ve just kind of road that high and it feels good right now.”

Clark started for the Bandits, allowing one earned run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Helmbolt allowed three earned runs on three hits and a walk over 1.1 innings. Struck allowed four earned runs on four hits and three walks with three strikeouts and Brink got the final out of the game in the seventh inning.

Brookings tallied 13 hits in the game including a 3-for-4 performance by Struck. Struck hit three doubles, scored twice and drove in four runs.

Brink went 4-for-4 with a stolen base, a run scored and an RBI. Miles went 2-for-4 with a stolen base, a run scored and an RBI. Bauer went 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI. Helmbolt went 1-for-4 with a run scored. Ronning went 1-for-4 with a double, a run scored and two RBI. Clark went 1-for-2 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI. Johnson went 1-for-3 with a double, three stolen bases, a walk, two runs scored and an RBI.