The West Central Trojan softball team claimed the 2025 South Dakota State A Softball title with three wins in Aberdeen Thursday, June 5th through Saturday, June 7th.
West Central 4, Vermillion 1
Runs were hard to come by in the opening round game on Thursday against Vermillion. Neither team scored until the fifth inning. The Trojans finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI fly ball by Addy Kunzweiler. The Tanagers tied the game with a run in the top of the sixth inning. Ayla Kramer delivered the game-winning hit, a two-run home run, in the bottom of the sixth inning. Maddy Kunzweiler added an RBI single later in the inning.
Briauna Hoff had three hits in the game, two of them doubles. M. Kunzweiler had a triple and single with an RBI. Kramer finished with a home run and two RBIs. Teagan Lupkes had a hit, and A. Kunzweiler had an RBI. Elisabeth Miller pitched seven innings and allowed an unearned run on a hit and two walks with 13 strikeouts.
West Central 6, Dell Rapids 4
The Trojans held off the Quarriers in the semifinals on Friday to earn a trip to the title game. West Central scored three times right away in the bottom of the first for an early 3-0 lead. They added another run in the bottom of the third to make the score 4-0. Dell Rapids put three runs on the board in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 4-3. The Trojans got two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 6-3 score. The Quarriers were only able to add one more run in the top of the sixth.
Kramer had two hits, including a home run, and three RBIs. Miller also had two hits, one a home run, with an RBI. Kadence Kupkes ended with a single and an RBI. M. Kunzweiler had one hit. Miller threw seven innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits and five walks with 11 strikeouts.
West Central 11, Tri-Valley 1
Three big innings helped the Trojans defeated the Mustangs for the championship on Saturday. Tri-Valley took the lead with a run in the top of the first inning. The Mustangs continued to lead 1-0 until the bottom of the third. The Trojans scored three times in the third to go in front 3-1. They added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend the lead 6-1. West Central ended the game in the bottom of the sixth on the 10-run rule with five runs.
Kramer finished with three hits and two RBIs. M. Kunzweiler had two hits and three RBIs. Sophie Rolfson added two hits, one a double, and two RBIs. T. Lupkes also had two hits with two RBIs. Hoff had two hits, including a double, and an RBI. K. Lupkes ended with a single. Miller pitched six innings and allowed an unearned run on three hits and five walks with eight strikeouts.
