PIERRE It was a tough start to the Junior Legion State Tournament for the Brookings Chutes as they fell to Brandon Valley 4-3 in extra innings on Thursday afternoon.
Brandon Valley scored a run in the top of the eighth inning and then shut down the Chutes in the bottom of the inning to get the win.
They jumped out to a 3-0 lead through two innings. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Brandon Valley with nobody out in the top of the second. Then a two-run single and RBI single gave them a three-run lead heading into the third.
Brookings cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Jase Bauer hit a two-out double and Gavin Hammrich followed with a walk. Bauer was thrown out at home on a ground ball from Talon Hyde but a defensive indifference pushed Hammrich and Hyde to second and third. Jay Harris then hit both runners home with a single to make it a one-run game.
The Chutes then tied the game in the fifth. Ryder Anderson and Tre Christopherson hit back-to-back singles with one out. Anderson made it to third on Christophersons single and then scored on a sacrifice fly from Cooper Schneider, which made it 3-3.
Brookings and Brandon Valley combined for one baserunner over the next two innings. Brandon Valley then hit a single and that baserunner came home on a single to make it 4-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth.
Bauer was walked and Hammrich was hit by a pitch with one out. Unfortunately Hyde and Harris hit back-to-back ground outs to end the game.
Brookings had five hits in the loss. Harris was 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Anderson and Bauer were each 1-for-3 and Christopherson and Hyde were each 1-for-4.
Will Conrad got the start for the Chutes and pitched the first seven and two thirds innings. He gave up four earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Hyde got the final out for Brookings and it was a strikeout.
Brookings plays Rapid City Post 320 on Friday at noon. The Chutes will then wrap up pool play on Saturday with a game against Pierre at 6 p.m.
Leave a Reply