Bobcats split with Governors

Late rally lifts ’Cats to win in second game

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PIERRE – The Bobcats split a pair of high school varsity games against the Governors as the home team took the opener, 19-1, before Brookings came back to win the nightcap, 5-3.

The ‘Cats travel to Harrisburg tonight for a doubleheader against the Tigers.

• Pierre 19, Brookings 1

Leading 4-0 through two, the Governors put up 11 runs in the third and then tacked on four more in the fourth to end the game early via the run rule.

The ‘Cats’ lone run came in the fourth when Justin Devine took one for the team to get on base; went to third on Ryan McMacken’s single; and then scored on Parker Rykhus’ fielder’s choice.

Tyler Kreutner had the only other hit for Brookings.

McMacken suffered the loss as he surrendered four earned runs on five hits and a walk in two innings. Tanner Shepardson gave up seven earned runs on a pair of hits and five walks with a strikeout in just 2/3 of an inning of relief. Rykhus allowed four earned runs on four hits and a walk in a 1/3 of an innings, while Rhett Zelinsky also gave up four earned runs on a hit and three walks. Brady Ammann threw the final 2/3 and allowed one hit and walked one.

Payton Zabel struck out five in two innings to earn the win for the Governors.

PIERRE 19, BROOKINGS 1

Brookings 000 10  –  1  2  2

Pierre 13(11) 4x  –  19  13  0

Ryan McMacken, Tanner Shepardson (3), Parker Rykhus (3), Rhett Zelinsky (4), Brady Ammann (4) and Justin Devine; Payton Zabel, Nate Zimmerman and Michael Lusk. W – Zabel. L – McMacken. 2B: P, Michael Lusk, Payton Zabel (2), Kyle Stover.

• Brookings 5, Pierre 3

Trailing 3-2 heading into the final frame, the Bobcats put together three runs and then held on to salvage the split.

Kreutner led off the seventh and got on base via getting hit by a pitch. Devine laid down a sac bunt to move him over and then Kreutner scored the tying run on McMacken’s single to third when the third baseman overthrew first.

Rykhus’ groundout moved McMacken to third and he scored the go-ahead run when the Governors misplayed Tanner Shepardson’s hard ground ball to shortstop. Shepardson moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Ammann’s single to make it 5-3.

Daniel Messerli earned the win on the mound in relief after allowing one earned run on three hits with one strikeout in 2 1/3 innings of work. Caden Wright tossed the first 4 2/3 innings and gave up two runs – one earned – on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

Zelinsky had three of the Bobcats’ six hits.

BROOKINGS 5, PIERRE 3

Brookings 100 001 3  –  5  6  2

Pierre 020 001 0  –  3  8  2

Caden Wright, Daniel Messerli (5) and Tanner Shepardson; Maquire Raske, Carson Tschetter (5), Austin Haus (7) and Michael Lusk. W – Messerli. L – Haus.