For the second time this season, Mitchell Post 18 was swept in a doubleheader.
Sioux Falls East handed Mitchell two losses on Tuesday, a 9-6 decision followed by Sioux Falls pitching a 6-0 shutout to complete the sweep.
“We have to individually worry about ourselves and do a job, and concentrate on what needs to be done and how hard we have to work individually to come together collectively as a team,” Mitchell coach Luke Norden said. “We have too many guys worried about what other guys are doing instead of worrying about themselves.”
In Game 1, Mitchell (11-11) nearly mounted a comeback. It fell behind 5-0 when it plated four runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Brady Hawkins and Peyton Nash drew back-to-back bases loaded walks, followed by an error driving in two runs.
Sioux Falls (11-11) answered with three runs in the following inning, which was capped by Aidan Beck’s RBI double during his 3-for-3 day. Koby Larson walked in a run and Hawkins hit an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning, but Sioux Falls retired the next five batters to close the contest.
Sioux Falls finished with 11 hits, including Nate Sprenkle recording three hits and a triple. Garren Heinert finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Tyler Boyum picked up the win, as he tossed 3.2 shutout innings.
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Jake Helleloid suffered the loss for Mitchell. Sioux Falls scored five earned runs on six hits and five walks during his five-inning start. Joe VanOverschelde had two hits.
Mitchell sent out nearly an entirely new lineup in the second game, but it was held to four hits and committed five errors in the loss.
“Some guys take their at-bat out to the field with them,” Norden said. “Or they take a play in the field to their at-bat with them. Then, they let things linger on instead of taking one pitch at a time.”
Sioux Falls scored three runs in the opening frame, and then tacked on two more in the fourth inning. Beck drove in two runs, while Sioux Falls recorded eight hits. Nick Lounsbery went the distance and struck out six batters.
“The only difference between the two games was their pitcher threw more strikes,” Norden said.
Peyton Nash suffered the loss for Post 18. He gave up five unearned runs in a four-inning start. Koby Larson struck out three and allowed an earned run in the final three frames.
Mitchell travels to Pierre for a 5 p.m. doubleheader today. They split a doubleheader earlier this season.
“(Pierre’s) guys that aren’t pitchers but they go out and pitch for them, they go out and throw strikes,” Norden said. “They know they have a job to do and they want to go win games. We’re struggling with that in certain situations. We’ve only won games when certain guys pitch. They’re winning games when everybody (pitches).”
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