Area high school baseball roundup for April 27: Howard splits Sunday home contests

CANOVA, S.D. – The Howard High School baseball team split a pair of home contests against Groton Area and Warner/Ipswich/Northwestern on Sunday in Canova.

The Tigers were a force to be reckoned with in the first matchup against Groton, cruising to a 12-2 victory after only five innings. However, WIN was the better side in game two, taking home a 9-4 victory.

In game one, Groton struck early with two runs in the first inning, but Howard responded swiftly in the bottom half of the frame, bringing six runs across the plate, led by doubles from Nolan Mentele and Lawden Haak that brought home a combined four runs. In the next inning, Weston Remmers hit a home run to make it 7-2 heading to the third.

Nathan Swaffar / Mitchell Republic

Then, the Tigers added another five runs to extend their lead to 12-2 and didn’t require any further run support thanks to a solid performance from Carson Hinker on the mound. He pitched five innings, only allowing the two first-inning runs and struck out two as he picked up the victory.

Remmers finished the day with three hits and three RBIs. Owen Feldhaus and Mentele each had two hits and two RBIs. Haak finished with one hit and two RBIs with a walk as well.

In game two, WIN struck first with two first-inning runs, but Howard took the lead in the bottom of the third thanks to two unearned runs and an RBI single from Feldhaus that scored Hinker to make it 3-2.

However, WIN responded immediately with four runs in the fourth to take back the lead 6-3. They added two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to lead 9-3 going into the seventh. Howard added a run when Luke Koepsell singled home his brother Cooper, but the Tigers couldn’t muster anything else as WIN took the victory.

Nathan Swaffar / Mitchell Republic

Feldhause and Luke Koepsell finished with an RBI each. Koepsell also got the start on the mound, pitching five innings while allowing four earned runs and striking out eight.

Howard (3-2) is back in action on Sunday, May 4, against Redfield in Canova. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

FLANDREAU, S.D. – It was a big day at the plate for Hanson/Bridgewater-Emery.

Behind 13 runs on 16 hits, the Bulldogs crushed Coleman-Egan/Flandreau 13-1 in a road contest on Saturday. Seven Bulldogs finished with at least one RBI, led by a three-RBI day from Esten Schlimgen. AJ Wilber, Tyler Sanderson and Radek Jarding each had two RBIs as well.

HBE went scoreless in the first before scoring at least two runs in each of the next four innings, highlighted by a five-run fourth. On the mound, Weston Kayser was nearly untouchable, only allowing three hits, zero earned runs and striking out seven.

HBE (5-1) is back in action on Wednesday, April 30, for a road contest against Dell Rapids. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m.

DEADWOOD, S.D. – Behind a six-run eighth inning, Chamberlain/Kimball/Lyman took down Lead-Deadwood 11-4 in the Black Hills on Saturday.

The two teams were locked up for a majority of the contest and entered extra innings knotted up a 4-4. But seven hits in the eighth, five of those singles, helped CKL bring across six in the top of the frame and take an 11-4 advantage. Lead-Deadwood didn’t bring anybody across in the bottom half of the inning as CKL claimed the victory.

Kruse Brennan led the way with a team-leading four hits and three RBIs on the day. River Niewenhuis finished with two RBIs while London Houska, Isaac Shepherd and Cole Kieffer each drove in a run of their own. Cooper Leiferman got the start, going five innings deep while allowing three earned runs and striking out nine. Shepherd finished things off, pitching three innings of one-run ball, striking out four and picking up the victory.

With the victory, CKL improves to 3-6.

PLATTE, S.D. – Platte-Geddes/Dakota Christian/White Lake had a flair for the dramatic on Saturday.

Against Hot Springs, the Honkers entered the final inning knotted up at 3-3, but with the bases loaded and two outs, Maddux VanZee singled to bring home Ashton Krumvieda to give PGDCWL a walk-off 4-3 victory in Platte.

VanZee finished his day with two hits and the game-winning RBI. Jye Bailey, Kenyon Kuiper and Quincy Stephens all finished with an RBI each as well. On the mound, Kuiper got the start, throwing five innings while only allowing one earned run and striking out nine. Hayden Sprik pitched two innings in relief, striking out four, allowing one earned run and picked up the victory.

PGDCWL (4-0) will face Winner/Colome next on Tuesday, April 29, in Platte with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.

CORSICA, S.D. – Despite outhitting West Central 10-7 on the day, Mount Vernon/Plankinton/Corsica-Stickey dropped a Sunday contest to the Trojans 8-5 in Corsica.

West Central struck quickly, scoring three runs in the first to take an early advantage. The Padres responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at three apiece.

However, the Trojans scored five runs over the next two innings compared to the Padres' two to go in front 8-5 by the end of the fifth. Although the Padres had runners on in both the sixth and the seventh, they were unable to bring any home as they dropped their second game of the season.

Tyson Wentland led the way in the lineup and on the mound, picking up two hits and two RBIs while pitching five innings, allowing six earned runs and striking out two. Isaiah Olson, Brady Fox and Camden Stahl all drove home a run each.

MVPCS (5-2) is back in action on Friday, May 2, for a home game against Sioux Falls Christian in Corsica. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m.

WAGNER, S.D. – Wagner dropped a home contest to Beresford Area 11-1 on Sunday.

The Red Raiders struggled to get out of their own way, as eight of Beresford’s 11 runs were unearned. Beresford scored three in the first and two in the fourth before breaking things open in the sixth to the tune of six runs crossing home plate.

Wagner's lone run came in the first inning thanks to a single from Dominic Doom that brought home Frank Soukup. Soukup led the way with two hits on the day, while Ed Ulrich and Steven Peters also picked up base hits. Javian Pesicka started for the Red Raiders, pitching 4 1/3 innings while allowing seven hits and three earned runs.

Wagner (1-5) is back in action on Thursday, May 1, for a home matchup against Parkston, with first pitch scheduled for 5:30 p.m.