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WATERTOWN — Scoring runs wasn't the problem for Watertown High School's softball team, preventing them was.
The young Arrows let a couple of late leads get away and watched as defending state Class A champion Tea Area, now playing in its first year in Class AA, rallied for 20-17 victory in an eight-inning slugfest Tuesday night at the PREMIER Softball Complex.
Depending on which team's Game Changer (www.gc.com) scoring report you want to go with, the two teams combined for 37 runs and anywhere from 35 to 43 hits and 11 to 16 errors.
Here's three takeaways from the game:
20 FAVORITES WATERTOWN SOFTBALL: Sisters top list of Watertown's best high school softball players since 1999
The two teams traded runs from start to finish.
Tea Area took the early lead on Preslie Benning's double in the top of the first. Watertown answered with a run-scoring single by Aleia Johnston in the bottom of the inning.
After Tea Area went ahead again on Kalli Boom's two-run homer in the third, Watertown plated three runs in the bottom half of the inning on two groundouts and a single by Emmy Berglund.
Tea Area tied the game in the fourth only to have Watertown answer with run-scoring singles by Lauryn Hirsch and Johnston. Leading 6-5, the Arrows finally gained some breathing room on Kodi Lund's three-run homer and another run-scoring single by Johnston in the bottom of the fifth for a 10-5 lead.
"I was very impressed with us offensively tonight," Watertown coach Kelli Brinka said. "We came and attacked the plate. We consistently put the ball in play and did a phenomenal job on the bases."
It's still early for a young Arrow squad that is still trying to find its best defensive lineup and it was the defense that proved costly against Tea Area, which earned its first official Class AA win in seven tries this spring.
Hirsch relieved starter Alexa Brown in the top of the sixth for Watertown and ended up giving up 10 runs in three innings. However, only two of the runs were earned.
More: Watertown High School tennis, softball teams enjoy successful home debuts
A couple of errors, a two-run double by Kaylyn Hall and run-scoring singles by Boom, Ava Opland and Everlyn Trottier sparked an eight-run uprising in the top of the sixth to put the Titans ahead 13-10. Watertown answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning, including two on a single by Johnston and two others on a double by Jada Brown.
The 15-13 lead didn't stand up for the Arrows. Tea Area tied the game in the top of the seventh by scoring two runs on an error.
Three more errors in the top of the eighth led to five more runs for the Titans. The Arrows answered again with run-scoring hits by Johnston and Brown before Tea Area's Ahryana Drake retired the final three batters to end the battle.
Watertown's scorebook listed the Arrows with 11 errors.
"Defensively, we need to figure some things out and someone needs to step up and make some plays," Brinka said. "At the end of the day we need to figure out how to play as a team and realize that we are only going to be successful if we can play together."
Tea Area's 16-hit attack featured three hits by Bennng and two each by Boom, Paige Sabers and Wallum. Abby and Kalli Boom, Benning, Hall, Opland, and Trottier each drove in two runs.
Watertown recorded 20 hits, including Johnston's 5-for-6 performance with a double and six runs batted in. Lund added four hits. The Hirsch sisters (Lauryn and Ellie) joined the Brown sisters (Alexa and Jada) with two hits each. J. Brown drove in four runs.
"Even after rough innings in the field, we didn't ever let that get us and down and were always ready to hit," Brinka said.
The Arrows are slated to visit Harrisburg on Thursday before coming home to host Brookings next Tuesday. Both games are scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
PIERRE — Pierre also took advantage of some defensive issues by Aberdeen Central to post a 16-0 three-inning win on Tuesday.
The Governors (1-3) plated six runs in the bottom of the first inning and 10 more in the bottom of the second and rode Noel Kist's no-hitter to the win.
Amber Roman plated to runs with a double and single for Pierre. Elly Broers also contributed two hits, Aliviia Heymans a triple and Aliya Erickson a double.
Kaylee Kiesow took the loss for Aberdeen Central, which made nine errors.
The Golden Eagles are scheduled to host Rapid City Stevens on Friday and Spearfish and Sturgis on Saturday.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: High school softball victory slips away from Watertown in late innings
Continue reading...
The young Arrows let a couple of late leads get away and watched as defending state Class A champion Tea Area, now playing in its first year in Class AA, rallied for 20-17 victory in an eight-inning slugfest Tuesday night at the PREMIER Softball Complex.
Depending on which team's Game Changer (www.gc.com) scoring report you want to go with, the two teams combined for 37 runs and anywhere from 35 to 43 hits and 11 to 16 errors.
Here's three takeaways from the game:
20 FAVORITES WATERTOWN SOFTBALL: Sisters top list of Watertown's best high school softball players since 1999
Back-and-fourth battle throughout
The two teams traded runs from start to finish.
Tea Area took the early lead on Preslie Benning's double in the top of the first. Watertown answered with a run-scoring single by Aleia Johnston in the bottom of the inning.
After Tea Area went ahead again on Kalli Boom's two-run homer in the third, Watertown plated three runs in the bottom half of the inning on two groundouts and a single by Emmy Berglund.
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Tea Area tied the game in the fourth only to have Watertown answer with run-scoring singles by Lauryn Hirsch and Johnston. Leading 6-5, the Arrows finally gained some breathing room on Kodi Lund's three-run homer and another run-scoring single by Johnston in the bottom of the fifth for a 10-5 lead.
"I was very impressed with us offensively tonight," Watertown coach Kelli Brinka said. "We came and attacked the plate. We consistently put the ball in play and did a phenomenal job on the bases."
Still searching for the right defensive alignment
It's still early for a young Arrow squad that is still trying to find its best defensive lineup and it was the defense that proved costly against Tea Area, which earned its first official Class AA win in seven tries this spring.
Hirsch relieved starter Alexa Brown in the top of the sixth for Watertown and ended up giving up 10 runs in three innings. However, only two of the runs were earned.
More: Watertown High School tennis, softball teams enjoy successful home debuts
A couple of errors, a two-run double by Kaylyn Hall and run-scoring singles by Boom, Ava Opland and Everlyn Trottier sparked an eight-run uprising in the top of the sixth to put the Titans ahead 13-10. Watertown answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning, including two on a single by Johnston and two others on a double by Jada Brown.
The 15-13 lead didn't stand up for the Arrows. Tea Area tied the game in the top of the seventh by scoring two runs on an error.
Three more errors in the top of the eighth led to five more runs for the Titans. The Arrows answered again with run-scoring hits by Johnston and Brown before Tea Area's Ahryana Drake retired the final three batters to end the battle.
Watertown's scorebook listed the Arrows with 11 errors.
"Defensively, we need to figure some things out and someone needs to step up and make some plays," Brinka said. "At the end of the day we need to figure out how to play as a team and realize that we are only going to be successful if we can play together."
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Offensive numbers for each team
Tea Area's 16-hit attack featured three hits by Bennng and two each by Boom, Paige Sabers and Wallum. Abby and Kalli Boom, Benning, Hall, Opland, and Trottier each drove in two runs.
Watertown recorded 20 hits, including Johnston's 5-for-6 performance with a double and six runs batted in. Lund added four hits. The Hirsch sisters (Lauryn and Ellie) joined the Brown sisters (Alexa and Jada) with two hits each. J. Brown drove in four runs.
"Even after rough innings in the field, we didn't ever let that get us and down and were always ready to hit," Brinka said.
The Arrows are slated to visit Harrisburg on Thursday before coming home to host Brookings next Tuesday. Both games are scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
Defense also hurts Aberdeen Central
PIERRE — Pierre also took advantage of some defensive issues by Aberdeen Central to post a 16-0 three-inning win on Tuesday.
The Governors (1-3) plated six runs in the bottom of the first inning and 10 more in the bottom of the second and rode Noel Kist's no-hitter to the win.
Amber Roman plated to runs with a double and single for Pierre. Elly Broers also contributed two hits, Aliviia Heymans a triple and Aliya Erickson a double.
Kaylee Kiesow took the loss for Aberdeen Central, which made nine errors.
The Golden Eagles are scheduled to host Rapid City Stevens on Friday and Spearfish and Sturgis on Saturday.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: High school softball victory slips away from Watertown in late innings
Continue reading...
