SIOUX FALLS – Austin Portner threw a four-hitter and Sioux Falls Roosevelt built a 5-0 lead after two innings en route to a 7-2 defeat of Brookings in a baseball game Tuesday evening at Ronken Field.
Portner struck out four batters and walked one. Both Bobcat runs were unearned.
The Warriors drew 10 free passes, including nine walks.
Leadoff hitter Kyle Gulbrandson went 1-for-1 with three walks, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Nick Hoekstra plated Gulbrandson with a groundball in the first. Carter Ades later forced in Isaac Nelsen with a bases-loaded walk to make it 2-0.
Carlos Caro, Gulbrandson and Jack Simonsen drew consecutive walks to open the bottom of the second inning and chase Brookings starter Brandin Heesch.
Nelsen, who finished 2-for-4, had an RBI single, before Gulbrandson scored on an error. Gus Radel’s fielder’s choice scored Simonsen to push the margin to 5-0.
The Bobcats rallied with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth.
Parker Beers drew a one-out walk and Heesch singled. Cody Niklason reached on an error with two outs to load the bases.
Akren Prodoehl followed with a two-run single, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
However, Roosevelt pushed the margin back to five runs via Gulbrandson’s two-RBI single in the bottom of the fifth.
Heesch gave up five runs – three earned – on six walks in one-plus inning of action.
Niklason allowed two runs on six hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts in four innings. Justin Devine tossed a perfect sixth.
Brookings (12-3) heads to Watertown for a doubleheader today at 5 p.m.
SIOUX FALLS ROOSEVELT 7, BROOKINGS 2
Brookings 000 020 0 – 2 4 3
S.F. Roosevelt 230 020 x – 7 6 2
Brandin Heesch, Cody Niklason (2), Justin Devine (6) and Jacob Schoon; Austin Portner and Jack Simonsen. W – Portner. L – Heesch.
