Post 8 Splits Against Mitchell
MITCHELL -- Timely hitting was elusive for Pierre Post 8 on Thursday evening, as the Eights lost the opener 10-2 and rallied to take the nightcap 9-7 against Mitchell Post 18 in American Legion baseball.
Pierre scored in only three of 14 innings in the doubleheader. The Eights exploded for eight runs in the third inning of the second game to earn the split.
Pierre now stands at 17 wins and 16 losses for the season.
Pierre starting pitcher Brian Drapeaux went six innings for his third win of 2009. He allowed six runs (five earned) on 13 hits and two walks while striking out six Mitchell batters. Adam Deneke pitched the seventh inning, giving up one earned run on two hits and a walk, with one strikeout.
Pierre sent 12 batters to the plate in the big rally.
Royce Pease started the fireworks with a lead-off walk and stole second base. Nolan Merrill singled and stole second. Pease scored and Merrill advanced to third on a catcher's error. Merrill then scored on a passed ball.
With one out, Jason Livermont, Jordan Heckenlaible and Kyle Cichos stroked consecutive singles. A Ryan Yackley sacrifice fly scored Livermont. Heckenlaible scored on a passed ball. Deneke hit an RBI single, followed by an Evan Moore single. Pease, batting for the second time in the inning, walked again to load the bases with two outs.
Then Merrill snapped what turned out to be the game-winning hit, a three-RBI double to put Pierre up 8-2.
Pease scored for the third time in the game when he singled to lead off the sixth inning and stole second base. After Merrill walked, Mitchell starting pitcher Cade Hearnen was relieved by Kyle Larson, trailing 8-6. Scott Cichos laid a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Pease hustled home on a RBI groundball out to shortstop by Livermont.
Merrill went 3-for-3, while Heckenlaible and Kyle Cichos had two hits apiece.
In the opener, Pierre took a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Merrill singled, Livermont doubled and Heckenlaible hit a two-RBI single. But Mitchell starting pitcher Alan Loes and reliever Larson never allowed another run.
The Eights had runners thrown out at home plate in the second and third innings to gut potential rallies, and left runners stranded at second or third base in the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Mitchell came right back to tie the score in the bottom of the first against Pierre starting pitcher Scott Cichos. Mitchell added two more in the second and pulled away to a 9-2 lead with five runs in the fourth inning.
The final line for Cichos on the mound was nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits and three walks in four innings with four strikeouts.
Tanner Wolf threw a hitless inning of scoreless relief with two strikeouts. Dylan Reimers pitched the sixth for Pierre, allowing one run on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.
The Eights now take a break over the Independence Day holiday weekend. The Rapid City Post 22 Expos cancelled their visit to Pierre which had been scheduled for Sunday.
Pierre Post 8 returns to action Monday at home in Hyde Stadium with a 5:30 p.m. doubleheader against Spearfish.
Another great night for the Post 8:
Pierre teams win five of six games
The Pierre Post 8 baseball organization gave its players, supporters and fans plenty to smile about Wednesday.
The Teener 15-16 A's / American Legion split squad swept a doubleheader from visiting Spearfish at Hyde Stadium. Coach Bill Gayton's squad won 19-4 and 14-5.
The Teener 15-16 Bees went to Huron and swept a doubleheader there. Coach Sam Koenecke's crew put bunches of runs on the scoreboard in the seventh innings to secure 14-6 and 16-10 victories.
Coach Mike Fisher's Teener 13-14 squad won 3-2 on a walk-off two-run double against Spearfish at Hyde in the first game of an afternoon doubleheader. Spearfish in turn came from behind to win the second game 7-5 with a seventh-inning rally.
Combined with the two wins Tuesday by Head Coach Bob Sullivan's Post 8 American Legion varsity, Pierre's four levels of teams took seven of eight games in a 48-hour span against solid opponents from Valley Springs/Brandon, Sturgis, Spearfish and Huron.
Further details about the Splits, Bees and 13-14's Wednesday performances will be posted below the July 13 painting news item later today as additional information is gathered from coaches.
July 13 is an important
evening to keep open
for paintin' of the Green
Many volunteers are needed to help re-stain the Hyde Stadium fences on Monday, July 13. Work begins at 6:30 p.m. In case of rain, work will resume Thursday, July 16. For more information contact Post 8 baseball board president Mick Heckenlaible. Please plan to give a hand to the Post 8 baseball cause.
Split Squad Crushes Spearfish,
Sturgis Doesn't Show Thursday
The Pierre Post 8 Split Squad of Teener 15-16 A's and American Legion players were dressed and waiting Thursday evening at Hyde Stadium. But their scheduled opponent, Sturgis, didn't come.
Pierre had belted Sturgis around 13-3 and 24-7 just the week before, when Post 8 made the road trip to Sturgis.
Northern Black Hills teams have been taking it on the chin from Splits lately. Pierre ripped Spearfish 19-4 and 14-5 in a doubleheader Wednesday at Hyde.
At the plate, the first game saw Jordan Drapeaux go 3-for-4 with a walk and Tanner Wolf finish 3-for-4. Sean Snyder scored three runs, while Pierre scored two runs from each of the other eight slots in batting order. Pierre went ahead 7-1 after one inning and 14-4 after three.
Coach Bill Gayton used a variety of pitchers in each game, spreading the innings as a substitute for a bullpen practice session. Cole Regynski started the first game and Drapeaux started the second game.
Spearfish led 2-1 through one inning and 5-4 through two frames in the second game, before Pierre started rolling hard with two runs in the third, four in the fourth, one in the fifth and three more in the sixth. Spearfish meanwhile never scored another run.
John Breckenridge, Jared Neilan, Landon Busch, Taylor Owens and Drapeaux each scored two runs in the nightcap. Jared Erickson had a double and a triple.
On a beautiful afternoon,
Teener 13-14's looked good
The Pierre 13-14 Teeners showed again Wednesday that Post 8 baseball has a promising future.
The Young Teens split a doubleheader with Spearfish at Hyde Stadium, winning the first game 3-2 and slipping 7-5 in the second contest.
Pierre was down to its last strike in the seventh inning of the opener when Austin Wagner on a 3-2 pitch drilled an extra-base hit well over the head of the Spearfish leftfielder. Cash Anderson and Willie Welch raced home with the tying and winning runs.
Anderson had reached on a lead-off walk and went to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Welch got aboard on a wind-blunted single that found an opening in the Spearfish defense. There were two outs when they scored.
Pitcher Cooper Walton threw a complete game for Pierre. The righthander allowed just 6 hits, and Pierre did not commit an error in the game, making several solid defensive plays including two diving catches by outfielder Conrad Adam helping Pierre out of bases-loaded jams.
Pierre only had 6 hits throughout the game but left several runners on base in several innings, including eight in scoring position throughout the game. Wagner had three hits and was a home run shy of the cycle.
In the second game, starting pitcher Drew Leif threw well for Pierre, allowing only three runs through six innings.
Pierre held a 5-3 lead but ran into trouble in the top of the seventh inning as the toll of pitches added up against Leif. Spearfish scored three runs to pull ahead with just one out. Kyle Sarringar relieved Leif on the mound and Spearfish scored an unearned run as Pierre could not catch a break.
Pierre committed three errors throughout the contest while the pitchers scattered 10 hits.
Pierre had roared out to a quick start scoring four runs in the first inning and one in the second.
Carson Eisenbeisz and Wagner each had two hits in the second game, including an Eisenbeisz triple.
The 13-14 squad is in action again after the Independence holiday at Sturgis on Tuesday, July 7, for a 4:00 MDT doubleheader.
The team's season record now stands at seven wins and eight defeats.
Teener Bees post a pair of wins
in high-scoring pitching battles
HURON -- The Post 8 15-16 Teener B batters kept the pressure on Huron's pitching staff for every one of the 14 innings Wednesday night, while the Bees' hurlers and defense held steady much of the way against some good Huron hitters in a doubleheader sweep.
That combination allowed the Bees to silence the Huron home crowd on a beautiful evening at Memorial Stadium and defeat Huron 14-6 and 16-10.
The Bees and Huron went run-for-run in the opener until Huron broke ahead 4-3 against Pierre starting pitcher Mac Mercer in the bottom of the fourth inning. Pierre's pressure produced two runs in the fifth, regaining the lead 5-4 on a walk, a single, a fielder's choice for the second out, and a Huron error.
Pierre took control in the sixth inning on a lead-off single by Chancy Riggle and back-to-back RBI doubles with one out by Aaron O'Day and Nate Buscher to push Pierre out front 7-4.
Huron gained one run back in the sixth before Pierre broke through against Huron's pitching staff in the seventh. Huron was forced to change pitchers repeatedly as Pierre sent 13 batters to the plate and scored seven runs.
The decisive rally was ignited by Joe Snyder's lead-off walk and Jordan Smith's triple to deep centerfield. Jake Chambers followed with a single and Riggle launched a double that hit the left-field wall on the bounce. Pierre went on to score three more runs without a base hit against Huron's flustered defense.
Huron mounted a small rally in the seventh, scoring a run as Pierre took available outs.
Mercer pitched the complete seven innings, allowing seven hits and one walk while striking out seven. He gave up six runs. Pierre committed four errors, three leading to runs.
At bat, Buscher and Riggle had three hits from the No. 2 and No. 8 slots in the order, and Alex McGuigan had two while reaching base in four of five plate appearances. Lead-off hitter O'Day and cleanup hitter McGuigan each scored three runs.
In the second game, Pierre starting pitcher Mark Costello threw five effective innings and, backed by some good defense including four nice catches by leftfielder Joel Jochim, left with an 8-5 lead.
Pierre's batters put two more runs on the board in the sixth inning, keyed by a McGuigan RBI double, and then pounded home six runs in the top of the seventh against Huron's completely-depleted pitching staff to seal the victory.
A Pierre double play doused a big rally being threatened by Huron in the sixth inning. Huron had one run in and bases loaded with one out against Pierre reliever Trevor Karst when shortstop Mercer scooped a groundball, beat the runner to second base for the force out and threw to first baseman Buscher, who made a great catch on the low throw while staying steady on the base to get the batter by a blink.
Huron scored four more runs in the seventh on a string of singles and walks before third baseman Ryan Dufour made the game-ending catch.
It was a memorable night for Jochim not only in the field but at the plate. Hitting in the No. 9 slot, he reached base safely in all five of his plate appearances, hitting three singles, drawing a walk and getting on by error.
Jochim and McGuigan each scored three times in that game, as McGuigan reached base safely four times, including a double and two singles. McGuigan finished the doubleheader with totals of six runs scored, five hits, two reached-by-error and one walk.
Mark Ray and Mercer each scored two times in the second game. All but one Pierre batter crossed the plate at least once in the contest, including Karst who reached safely four times on two hits and two walks while playing right field and pitching.
On the mound, Costello showed good presence, working quickly, staying ahead in many of the counts and trusting his fielders, as he grinded through the first three innings giving up just one run, and facing a total of 12 batters during that span, just three over the minimum.
Overall, Costello allowed a total of only three hits in his five innings of work. He walked two, struck out one, hit one batter and was tagged for five runs. Pierre commited two errors. All five runs resulted directly from walks, HBP or errors.
The Bees' record climbed to 13 wins and six losses for the season. They travel to Rapid City on Monday, July 6, to play the Post 320 Rising Stars squad. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. MDT.
Say hey! Post 8 plays two,
wins two, allows just two runs
Pierre Post 8 did something Tuesday that good American Legion baseball teams do: win the games that should be won.
The Eights rode the pitching arms of their Ryan Express -- Ryan Yackley and Ryan Lauseng -- to defeat Valley Springs/Brandon 6-2 and hand Sturgis a 15-0 shellacking in three innings in a triangular at Hyde Stadium.
Yackley, backed by solid defense, held Valley Springs to four hits over six and one-third innings. He twice escaped bases-loaded jams -- with a strikeout in the first -- and then a strikeout followed by a groundout in the fourth -- to hold the visitors scoreless through the first six innings.
Pierre put three runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning. Leading off the frame, Kris Hewlett struck out but safely reached first base on a passed ball. Dylan Reimers drew a walk, and Scott Cichos laid a sacrifice bunt to push the runners up a base. Nolan Merrill ripped a two-RBI triple and later scored on a third-strike wild pitch.
The game stood at 3-0 until the bottom of the sixth when Pierre added three more runs. Evan Moore walked and stole second base, Kyle Cichos drew a two-out walk, Adam Deneke nailed a RBI double and Hewlett singled to drive in Cichos and Deneke.
Valley Springs mounted a rally for two runs in the seventh. With one out, three consecutive walks led Post 8 Coach Bob Sullivan to summon Brian Drapeaux in relief of Yackley with bases loaded. Pierre traded a ground-ball out for a run. A double drove in the second run.
Yackley finished with seven walks and six strikeouts.
In the final game of the afternoon, bad luck and rough play plagued Sturgis as the team suffered an eleventh straight defeat after starting the year at 8-8 including a big win over Pierre.
On Tuesday night it was all Pierre. The Eights scored six runs in the first inning on five hits and didn't make an out until the entire lineup had batted through.
Lauseng kept the Sturgis batters off balance, allowing two hits and walking none in three innings.
Jordan Heckenlaible and Deneke each scored three times. Merrill, Jason Livermont and Kyle Cichos each scored twice.
With the wins, Post 8 climbed one game over the .500 mark for the season. The Eights have won 16 games and lost 15.
Raffle Winners Announced
If you didn't buy raffle tickets from your favorite Post 8 American Legion and Teeners players, you won't find your name on this list. But we'll let you read it so you can learn what you're missing before the boys make rounds again next spring. The drawing was held last weekend as part of the Doug Koester Memorial American Legion baseball tournament at Hyde Stadium.
Winners of prizes for the $5 tickets are:
Four Twins vs. Cleveland game tickets and $150 cash -- Tammy Lusk;
Four Rockies vs. Cubs tickets and $100 cash -- John Zeller; and
Four Sioux Falls Canaries tickets and $50 cash -- Malcolm Dixon.
Winners of prizes for the $2 tickets are:
Ramkota Inn vacation weekend -- Bruce Fossum;
Fifty pounds of ground beef, courtesy of American State Bank -- Steve Halverson;
Slumberland recliner -- Tony Blake;
Don's Sinclair $100 gas card - Mark Underberg;
Don's Sinclair $50 gas card -- Derick Schiefelbein;
$100 savings bond, courtesy of Wells Fargo bank -- Steve Vanderplates;
$50 cash, courtesy of American Family Insurance, Boyd Conzemius Agency -- Sheila Albright; and
$50 cash, Reinke Gray Wealth Management -- Nolan Merrill.
If you haven't picked up your prize yet, contact Post 8 baseball board president Mick Heckenlaible.