Bandits drop doubleheader to Post 17

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WATERTOWN – The Bandits’ rally in Game 1 fell just short as Post 17 won 10-9, and then, the home squad scored five runs in the fifth for a 6-4 win in Game 2 to complete an American Legion sweep on Wednesday at Watertown Stadium.

Brookings plays host to Yankton on Saturday in a 1 p.m. contest at Bob Shelden Field.

• Watertown 10, Brookings 9

Back-to-back doubles by Brennan Gabriel and Parker Schmidt in the bottom of the first inning helped Watertown score four runs for the early lead.

The Bandits pushed across a run in the third when Preston Helmbolt was hit by a pitch; advanced to second on a wild pitch; moved to third on Tyler Kreutner’s single; and then scored on Jacob Schoon’s base hit.

Post 17 matched that run in the bottom to make it 5-1 through three, but Brookings scored four in the fourth to tie the game at 5-all.

Justin Devine reached on an error before Ryan McMacken singled to left before both moved up a base on an error by the left fielder. Tanner Shepardson plated Devine with a single as McMacken went to third on the hit. A balk scored McMacken and sent Shepardson to second. With one out, Kreutner was hit by a pitch, and then Schoon singled to plate Shepardson and send Kreutner to third. Kreutner scored on Rhett Zelinsky’s ground out to tie it up.

Watertown responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth before tacking on two more in the fifth for a 10-5 advantage.

In the sixth, Brookings sent 10 batters to the plate to score four runs before leaving the bases loaded.

Helmbolt singled; moved to second when the shortstop misplayed Kreutner’s grounder; and then went to third when Schoon drew a walk. Helmbolt scored and Kreutner went to third on a fielder’s choice by Zelinsky, which forced out Schoon at second.

Brady Ammann singled to plated Kreunter as Zelinsky advanced to third. Zelinsky scored on a passed ball as Ammann moved to second. Back-to-back singles by Parker Rykhus and Devine plated Ammann to make it 10-9, but the rally fizzled with the bases loaded.

Brookings had a chance to tie the game in the seventh with runners on the corners with one out, but Dawsyn Wirkus struck out the side to preserve the win.

Rykhus suffered the loss after giving up eight earned runs on eight hits and eight walks with two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings of work. Sheparson allowed two earned runs on two hits and two walks with two Ks in an inning and a third before Schoon tossed a scoreless sixth – walking three and striking out one.

WATERTOWN 10, BROOKINGS 9

Brookings 001 404 0    9  13  0

Watertown 401 320 x    10  10  3

Parker Rykhus, Tanner Shepardson (4), Jacob Schoon (6) and Justin Devine; Bailey Neuhauser, Nathan Gonnelly (6), Dawsyn Wirkus (6) and Ben Deville. W – Neuhauser. L – Rykhus. Sv – Wirkus. 2B: W, Parker Schmidt, Ben Deville, Brennan Gabriel. 3B: W, Blake Holden.

• Watertown 6, Brookings 4

The Bandits led early in Game 2, tallying a single run in the first before adding a pair in the fourth.

Kreutner singled to lead off the game and moved up when Schoon was hit by a pitch. Both advanced a base on a passed ball before Kreutner scored on Ammann’s one-out groundout.

With one out in the fourth, Christian Mediger and Shepardson hit back-to-back singles and then moved up a base on a wild pitch. Consecutive walks to Kreutner and Schoon forced in Mediger and Shepardson later scored on a passed ball to make it 3-0 for the visiting squad.

Watertown got one run back in the bottom of the fourth on two hit batters and two walks.

In the fifth, Rykhus led off with a double; moved to third on Devine’s single; and then scored on McMacken’s groundball out for a 4-1 lead before Post 17 rallied in the bottom half.

Watertown used six hits – including a double by Nick Geffre – along with two walks, to score five runs for a 6-4 advantage.

The Bandits stranded two runners in both the sixth and seventh innings.

Brock Luze was saddled with the loss after giving up six earned runs on eight hits and five walks with six strikeouts. McMacken tossed the sixth and gave up a hit while striking out two.

WATERTOWN 6, BROOKINGS 4

Brookings 100 210 0    4  9  0

Watertown 000 150 x    6  9  1

Brock Luze, Ryan McMacken (6) and Justin Devine; Tucker Bayles, Colton McClemans (7) and Dawsyn Wirkus. W – Bayles. L – Luze. Sv – McClemans. 2B: B, Parker Rykhus; W, Brayden Shriver, Nick Geffre.

Nathan Giese/Public Opinion photo: Tanner Shepardson gets hit by the relay throw as he scores a run during the fourth inning of the Bandits’ 10-9 loss to Post 17 during the first game of a doubleheader at Watertown Stadium.