Mitchell’s Post 18 Legion baseball team got off on the right foot on Friday, opening its 2021 season with a pair of 10-run rule victories over Sturgis.
Post 18 won 12-1 in five innings in a Game 1 victory and then was victorious 13-3 in six innings in the second game at Cadwell Park.
Strong pitching carried the day in both contests, with Mitchell striking out 18 Sturgis batters in 11 innings at the plate.
In Game 1, Jake Helleloid allowed two hits, two walks and one run, while striking out eight Titan batters. He set down the first 10 Sturgis hitters he faced in the win.
Already leading 2-0 entering the third inning, Post 18 blew the game open with an eight-run inning in which 14 men came to the plate for Mitchell. Helleloid had a two-RBI double to help the cause in the inning. Helleloid, Nick Lord, Dylan Soulek, Joe Van Overschelde each scored two runs in the game. For the contest, Van Overschelde had three hits, including an RBI double and RBI triple. Carson Fahey also drove in three runs with two hits and Soulek had a pair of doubles for Post 18, while Parker Bollinger drove in a pair of runs.
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Sturgis’ David Anderson had an RBI single in the fourth inning for the Titans’ lone run. Gage Murphey was the losing pitcher with nine earned runs in 2 1/3 innings of work.
In the second game, Brady Brosz handcuffed the Sturgis offense for much of the game. He struck out seven batters in four innings on just 60 pitches, allowing two hits and two runs (both unearned). Jackson Ebert pitched the fifth inning with two hits and one run allowed, while Soulek pitched a scoreless sixth inning with two punchouts.
Seth Muth, Bollinger and Jace Larson each drove in a pair of runs, as Mitchell benefitted from 13 walks drawn at the plate. Muth had a pair of hits, while Van Overschelde had a double. Muth scored three times, while Landon Waddell scored twice. Mitchell scored two runs each in the first, second and fourth innings, and answered with at least one run every time Sturgis plated a run in the top half of an inning.
Leading 8-3 going to the bottom of the sixth inning, Mitchell scored five runs to finish the game early, powered by a single, a fielder's choice and six walks.
Dustin Alan was the losing pitcher for Sturgis, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits in three innings. Anderson had an RBI double for Sturgis, while the Titans were held to just four hits on offense.
Both teams were playing their Legion season openers after having their spring high school seasons come to an end on May 22.
Mitchell (2-0) hosts Huron in a 5 p.m. Monday doubleheader at Cadwell Park. It is the last set of Mitchell home games until a June 16 twinbill against Sioux Falls West, as Post 18 spends the first half of June playing exclusively on the road for a minimum of 15 games.
