Photo taken and used with permission by Paula Harvey
The 2022 South Dakota High School Class B Champions, Dell Rapids, hosted the 2022 North Dakota High School Class B Champions, Thompson Tommies, in a legion baseball game at Rickeman Field on Thursday, June 16th. The was just as good as the hype leading up to it.
Jack Henry drove home the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI fielder’s choice. Thompson tied the game with a run in the top of the second. The Tommies broke the tie with a run in the top of the fourth, and then they added two more in the top of the sixth for a 4-1 lead.
Dell Rapids then put together a rally in the bottom of the sixth. Aiden Boechler drove in two runs with a single to cut the lead to 4-3. CJ Smith gave Dell Rapids the lead with a two-run single to center field. Thompson got two runners on base with two outs, but the game ended with a ground out to Smith at first.
Landon Ruesink had two hits. Boechler and Smith both had a single and two RBIs each. Brayden Pankonen, Dylan Mathis, and Joe Rechtenbaugh all had singles. Henry finished with an RBI. Treyse Eastman started on the mound and pitched four innings allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Henry got the win with three innings pitched. He allowed two unearned runs on two hits and a walk with three strikeouts.