The Tri-Valley Maroon 17U team finished second at the 2025 South Dakota VFW Alpha Division State Tournament in Northville held Friday, July 25th through Sunday, July 27th. The team finished 1-1 in pool play and advanced to the championship game against West Central Royal. The only two losses were both to West Central Royal.
West Central Royal 10, Tri-Valley 0
The two teams in the championship game met right away in pool play on Friday. West Central scored in every inning getting two in the first, three in the second, another in the third, and four more runs in the bottom of the fourth to end the game on the 10-run rule.
Tri-Valley was held to just one hit, a single by Alex Wingen. Mason Hemme pitched 2 1/3 innings and allowed five runs, four earned, on two hits and six walks with one strikeout. Cooper Nielsen pitched 1 1/3 innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits and a walk with one strikeout. Cole Hendrixson allowed two earned runs on four hits.
Tri-Valley 6, Belle Fourche 1
In the second pool-play game on Friday, Tri-Valley was able to avenge two earlier losses to Belle Fourche. Belle Fourche did score right away in the top of the first inning. Tri-Valley responded with three in the bottom of the inning for a 3-1 lead. They added single runs in the second, third, and fourth innings for the 6-1 score.
Brody Dybvig had two hits and an RBI. Hemme had a double and an RBI. Wingen and Jackson Williams both had a single. Tristen Bunde pitched 2 1/3 innings and allowed an earned run on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Wingen also pitched 2 1/3 innings and allowed a hit and two walks with four strikeouts. Dybvig pitched 1/3 of an inning.
Tri-Valley 9, Claremont 4
Single-elimination bracket play began on Saturday. Tri-Valley cruised to a 9-4 win over Claremont in the opening round. After a scoreless first inning, Tri-Valley scored six in a row. They plated four runs in the second, one in the third, and another in the bottom of the fourth. Claremont got a run in the top of the fifth. Tri-Valley responded with three more in the bottom of the inning for a 9-1 lead. Claremont would get three runs in the top of the seventh.
Tri-Valley only had two hits in the game as they took advantage of nine errors. Lawson Schneiderman had a hit and an RBI. J. Williams had the other hit. Hendrixson finisehd with two RBIs. Brody Williams and T. Bunde each had an RBI. Evan Focken pitched all seven innings and allowed four runs, just one earned, on three hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
Tri-Valley 15, Warner/Ipswich/Northwestern 3
A big fourth-inning rally gave Tri-Valley a 15-3 win over W.I.N. in the semifinals to advance to the championship game. Tri-Valley grabbed momentum early with three runs in the top of the fourth. W.I.N. rallied to tie the game, 3-3, with three runs in the bottom of the third. Tri-Valley then erupted for nine runs in the top of the fourth for a 12-3 lead. They added three more runs in the top of the sixth, and the game ended on the 10-run rule after W.I.N. was held scoreless in the bottom of the inning.
Dybvig had two hits, one a double, and four RBIs. Hendrixson added two singles and two RBIs. Schneiderman had a hit with three RBIs. J. Williams also had a hit with two RBIs. Wingen ended with a single and an RBI. Hemme had a hit, and Abbott Moeller had an RBI. Dybvig pitched two innings and allowed three earned runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Moeller pitched three innings and allowed one hit with one strikeout. Cooper Durick threw the final inning without allowing a hit or walk.
West Central Royal 10, Tri-Valley 4
Tri-Valley grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first of the championship game, but unfortunately the lead was short lived. West Central rallied for five runs in the bottom of the second for a 5-2 lead. They added three more in the bottom of the fourth. Tri-Valley got two more runs in the top of the sixth to cut the lead in half, 8-4. West Central, however, got those two runs back in the bottom of the fifth.
Durick finished with a hit and two RBIs. Dybvig had a single with an RBI. T. Bunde added a double. T. Bunde pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on three hits and two walks. Wingen pitched 2 1/3 innings and allowed five runs, two earned, on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Schneiderman tossed two innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
