Dell Rapids and Vermillion traded leads a couple of times with Vermillion taking a 9-7 win in an opening round game at the 2022 South Dakota Class B Legion State Tournament on Friday, July 29th in Gregory.
Dylan Mathis had an RBI single, and Jacky Henry stole home to give Dell Rapids a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Vermillion got one run back in the bottom of the inning. Vermillion then took their first lead with three runs in the second and led 4-2 going into the third inning.
Dell Rapids regained the lead in the top of the third. Aiden Boechler had an RBI ground ball, Treyse Eastman had a steal of home, and Joe Rechtenbaugh had an RBI single. Vermillion tied the game 5-5 with a run in the bottom of the third. Will Jaton had an RBI bunt single in the top of the fourth inning. Eastman added an RBI single, and Dell Rapids was back in front 7-5.
Vermillion got a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 7-6. Neither team scored in the fifth inning. After holding Dell Rapids scoreless in the top of the sixth, Vermillion got their first three hitters on base. A wild pitch run and two sacrifice flies gave Vermillion the 9-7 lead. Dell Rapids was retired in order in the top of the seventh.
Rechtenbaugh had two hits and an RBI. Brayden Pankonen and CJ Smith both had two hits. Mathis, Jaton, Eastman, and Boechler all finished with a single and an RBI. Jack Henry and Mason Stubbe both added a hit. Henry pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on five walks with two strikeouts. Pankonen pitched 3 1/3 innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Jaton pitched one inning an allowed an earned run on a walk.
Dell Rapids will play Hartford/Humboldt on Saturday, July 30th at 10:00 a.m. in an elimination game.