Mudcats land six on all-tourney team

• Anthony Williams

Parkston Mudcats’ player Anthony Williams swings at a pitch during the Class B state amateur baseball tournament earlier this year in Mitchell. Williams was one of six Mudcats selected to the all-tournament team, which was announced Monday. (Kevin Pottebaum/Republic)

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After winning the Class B state amateur baseball championship, six players from the Parkston Mudcats landed themselves on the all-tournament team, which was announced Monday.

Tournament MVP Brady Nolz was joined by fellow Mudcats Pat and Jeff Harris, Trevor Fruedenthal, Matt Malloy and Anthony Williams.

Parkston manager Dave Roth said he felt all the players from his team who made the list were deserving of the accolade.

“We had a lot of guys step up during the state tournament,” Roth said. “They all did a good job and that’s what it takes to win it.”

Nolz said he was surprised to find out that his team managed to get six players named to the list.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen six guys from one team make the all-tournament team,” he said.

Crofton, Neb., also had six players named to the Class B team. Scot Donner, who claimed the Class B batting title, was joined by teammates Kyle Mueller, Bill Guenther, Rand Thygeson, Carl Schieffer and Nick Hegge.

Tabor was the only other team with multiple players to make the list. Steve Fejfar and Chris Sutera both made the all-tournament team.

Other area players to be awarded with all-tournament selections were Alexandria’s Trever Vermeulen and Canova-Howard’s Garrett Gassman.

Alexandria manager Chris Marek said it didn’t come as a surprise to see no Angels’ hitters on the team.

“If they’re looking at just batting averages, I can see where no hitters on our team made it,” he said. “None of our guys hit real well average wise. But if you look subjectively for us, Jordan Gau had a couple big hits in the tournament that propelled us to a couple of wins.”

Nolz, who was named to his second-consecutive and third-overall all-tournament team, said his previous two times meant little compared to this year’s. Nolz’s first nomination to the all-tournament list came in 2009 with the Parkston Rock Bass.

“The all-tournament team sounds nice,” Nolz said, “but in the end, all you want is that team title.”

Other players to make the Class B all-tournament team include Britton’s Justin Link, Clark’s Logan Huber, Clear Lake’s Ben Bartling, Lake Norden’s Jordon Johnson and Milbank’s Jeff Fish.

The Class A all-tournament team consists of Castlewood’s Andy Turbak (batting champion) and Matt Stevenson, Vermillion Red Sox’s Tyler Candor and Robin Chute, Brandon Valley’s Brett Fischer, Nick Bruning and Zach Danelson (tournament MVP), Black Hills Landscape’s J R Krogstad, Sioux Falls Saints’ Dane Yde and Renner’s Derek Ohme, Tim Huber and Grant Hieb.

SD state amateur baseball

all-tournament teams

* signifies class batting champion

** signifies class MVP

Class A — *Andy Turbak (Castlewood); Matt Stevenson (Castlewood); Tyler Candor (Vermillion); Robin Chute (Vermillion); Brett Fischer (Brandon Valley); Nick Bruning (Brandon Valley); **Zach Danelson (Brandon Valley); J R Krogstad (Black Hills Landscape); Dane Yde (Sioux Falls); Derek Ohme (Renner); Tim Huber (Renner); Grant Hieb (Renner).

Class B — **Brady Nolz (Parkston Mudcats); Trevor Fruedenthal (Parkston Mudcats); Jeff Harris (Parkston Mudcats); Pat Harris (Parkston Mudcats); Matt Malloy (Parkston Mudcats); Anthony Williams (Parkston Mudcats); Trever Vermeulen (Alexandria); Garrett Gassman (Canova-Howard); Steve Fejfar (Tabor); Chris Sutera (Tabor); Justin Link (Britton); Logan Huber (Clark); Ben Bartling (Clear Lake); *Scot Donner (Crofton, Neb.); Kyle Mueller (Crofton); Bill Guenther (Crofton); Rand Thygeson (Crofton); Carl Schieffer (Crofton); Nick Hegge (Crofton); Jordon Johnson (Lake Norden); Jeff Fish (Milbank).

Tags: sports, updates, amateur, baseball, parkston, mudcats, alexandria, tabor, canova, howard