Brookings Jr. Legion splits with Mitchell

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BROOKINGS – The Brookings Post 74 Junior Legion squad opened the 2022 summer season with a split against Mitchell Post 18 on a picture-perfect Thursday evening at Bob Shelden Field.

Mitchell won a back-and-forth affair in the opener, 7-6, before Brookings picked up a win via 10-run rule in game two, 12-2.

Brookings (1-1) on Tuesday will travel to Pierre for a 5 p.m. doubleheader against Post 8. The next home games for Brookings are June 8 against Harrisburg.

Game one

 Mitchell 7, Brookings 6

Brookings picked up an early 1-0 lead in the home half of the first inning.

Jack Merritt opened the inning by wearing a pitch and after stealing second and third base, Owen Schneider’s ground out brought Merritt home for a 1-0 lead.

Mitchell responded with two runs in the top of the third inning but Brookings answered right back in the bottom of the inning.

Tate Helmbolt led off the inning with a base hit and would move up 90 feet on a Nolan Miles single. Helmbolt would come around to score five pitches later on Schneider’s second batted in run of the game, a single to left field that tied the game at two.

Brookings would take a 4-2 lead with Sam Johnson’s two-run double that scored both Miles and Schneider.

A five-run fifth inning game Mitchell a 7-4 lead as the first six batters of the inning would reach base on two singles, two walks, and two hit batsmen. The big blow came with two outs after a base hit scored one and a subsequent fielding error allowed to more to touch home plate.

Brookings cut the lead to two in the bottom of the fifth after Johnson singled with one out, stole both second and third base, then would score on Addison Ronning’s ground out.

The lead shrunk to one in the sixth. Helmbolt walked with one out and moved to third on Merritt’s double. On the next pitch to Miles his fielder’s choice scored Helmbolt, but Brookings would strand two runners to end the inning.

Tyson Antonen roped a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh but the home bats couldn’t score the tying run.

Merritt, Miles, and Johnson each had two hits; Merritt, Johnson, and Will Conrad each doubled.

Schneider and Johnson both had two runs batted in.

Antonen was credited with the loss, allowing just two hits and one walk in two and two-third innings. He allowed just one run and it was unearned.

Griffen Bartles scored a no-decision. He worked the first 4 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and walking six, giving up six runs, five earned.

Game two

 Brookings 12, Mitchell 2 (5 inn.)

Brookings scored four runs in the first inning and seven in the fourth inning and would go on to a five-inning win, 12-2, to salvage the split of the doubleheader.

Mitchell allowed Brookings batters to reach base only six times via hits but gave up six walks, two hit batters, and committed four errors.

Izaya Dandurand recorded two of the six hits for the home squad and had two runs batted in.

Merritt also drove in two runs and scored two runs. Miles, Johnson, and David Brink also touched home plate twice each.

Merritt picked up the complete game win on the mound, giving up just two hits and two runs; both runs were unearned. Merritt walked three and struck out two.