Post 74 pummels Valley Springs, 11-1

Second baseman Corey Roach comes up throwing to get an out during the second inning of the Bandits’ 11-1 win over Valley Springs in American Legion baseball action at Bob Shelden Field on Tuesday. Photo by Troy Maroney/Register

BROOKINGS – It wasn’t really a surprise that Post 74 lefty Landon Busch limited Valley Springs to one run on a single hit, but it was a nice change of pace that the Bandits banged out 12 hits behind him in an 11-1 American Legion baseball win on Tuesday night at Bob Shelden Field that went only seven innings due to the run rule.

“It’s always nice to get a lead, especially with Landon on the mound – somebody who’s pitched pretty well for us this year – we just haven’t scored a lot of runs for him,” said Bandits head coach Rob Hirrschoff. “It takes the pressure off him early and lets him go out there and pitch and know that he can make a mistake or two and have some room for error.”

Busch didn’t give Valley Springs much of a chance as he struck out 10 Post 121 batters – with three walks – in seven innings of work.

Meanwhile, his teammates put up three runs in the bottom of the first, and then added four in the fourth for a 7-1 lead. The Bandits plated another run in the sixth, before closing out the game with a three-run seventh.

The Bandits got their first two batters on base via Valley Springs’ starter Jared Mulder’s wildness as he hit both Riley Bullington and Skyler Cary with a pitch before Matt Thomas singled to load the bases.

Kelby Beste’s base hit scored Bullington, and then Busch helped his cause with a sacrifice fly that plated Cary, as Thomas and Beste moved up a base on the throw to the plate.

Konnor Beste’s fly out to center scored Thomas for a 3-0 lead after one complete.

Valley Springs took advantage of a Bandit fielding miscue and back-to-back walks to load the bases in the third, and then scored its lone run on Jacob Adams’ sacrifice fly.

Brookings added four runs in the fourth on four hits and a Valley Springs’ error.

Thomas McMacken led off with a hit and advanced to third on Corey Roach’s double. Austin Koenig reached on a base on balls, and following a strikeout, Skyler Cary’s fielder’s choice scored McMacken for the first run of the frame.

A Post 121 error on Thomas’ line drive to left field allowed Koenig and Cary to score and Thomas to reach second. Back-to-back singles by Kelby Beste and Busch plated Thomas and the Bandits held a comfortable 7-1 lead.

Thomas led off the sixth with a single and moved to second when Kelby Beste was hit by a pitch. A groundball out put runners on the corner, and then Thomas scored when Konnor Beste grounded out back to the pitcher.

In the seventh, back-to-back singles by Bullington and Cary, and a base on balls to Thomas, loaded the bases with one out. Beste singled to score Bullington and Cary scored when Busch earned a base on balls. Konnor Beste’s sacrifice fly to right ended the game as Thomas crossed the plate for the Bandits’ 11th run.

Kelby Beste finished with three hits and two RBIs as Bullington, Thomas and McMacken had two hits apiece. Konner Beste knocked in three runs, as did Busch.

The Bandits play host to Watertown tonight in a 5 p.m. doubleheader.



Brookings 11, Valley Springs 1

Valley Springs 001 000 0 – 1 1 1

Brookings 300 401 3 – 11 12 3

Jared Mulder, Sam Rall (5) and Kyle Klumpp; Landon Busch and Kelby Beste. W – Busch. L – Mulder. 2B: B – Carter Roach, Thomas McMacken.