Pierre wouldn't say die in a doubleheader against the Mitchell Post 18 Legion baseball team Tuesday night at Cadwell Park.
Post 8 came from behind twice to beat Mitchell. In the first game, Pierre trailed 5-4 but scored seven runs in the final three innings to beat Mitchell 12-5.
In the second game, Post 18 scored two early runs in the first inning to go up 2-0, but Pierre came up with one run in the fifth inning and three in the sixth to take a 4-2 win.
Errors were costly to Mitchell in both games. In Game 1, Mitchell had two errors that led to Pierre runs and in Game 2 Post 18 had three errors which also opened the floodgates for Pierre runs.
"We had some untimely mistakes," Post 18 head coach Kent VanOverschelde said. "But I thought the kids stayed confident. We just weren't able to get on track offensively. Pierre pounded the baseball around. They played with a lot of heart."
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Mike Larson took the loss on the mound in the first game. He threw 4 2/3 innings and gave up seven runs. Brett Young finished off the game and gave up five runs.
Mitchell had six hits and Pierre had 14 hits and two errors. At the plate for Post 18, Jason Schmidt had three hits with two doubles and Beau Van Overschelde had a double.
In between games, Post 18 player Cory Marek was honored at senior night at Cadwell. The lone Mitchell senior this year was awarded an autographed bat and ball from the team.
"Cory's a good baseball player and good kid," VanOverschelde said of Marek. "His presence will definitely be missed in the future. He's done a good job of being a leader."
In the second game, Ian Blumer took the loss on the mound in six innings of work. He gave up four runs before being relieved by Trever Vermeulen, who threw a scoreless seventh inning.
Mitchell (22-18) had all three of its errors in the second game in the sixth inning. Post 18 had six hits and Post 8 had eight hits and one error.
At the plate for Mitchell, Schmidt had two hits, Van Overschelde doubled and singled and Marek had an RBI double.
Up next, Mitchell travels to play in the prestigious Rapid City Post 22 Marshall Tubbs tournament beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday with a game against Helena, Mont.
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Post 18 is guaranteed five games at the tournament and will play the Colorado Aces out of Denver, Spearfish and the Rapid City Post 22 split-squad and varsity. The tournament runs through Sunday.
"This tournament is an opportunity for us to regain some confidence," VanOverschelde said. "We want to prove to ourselves that we're ready for regions."
VanOverschelde said Post 22 is always the favorite to win the tournament.
"They're playing unbelievable baseball right now, from what I've read," he said. "There are other teams out there, too. But they really have put it together."
The Region 2A Legion tournament for Mitchell begins on June 27 at Harmodon Field in Sioux Falls. The pairings have not been announced for the tournament yet.
Health-wise, Post 22 is in good shape. Marek has had problems with his right shoulder, which is his throwing arm. VanOverschelde doesn't know the severity of the injury, but will know more in the coming days. Young has bounced back after spraining his wrist earlier in the season.
"We're the healthiest we've been in a long time," VanOverschelde said.
