The Sioux Falls Flying Squirrels played small ball and long ball on the way to a 17-1 six-inning win over the Sioux Falls Hops during the State A Amateur Baseball Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Fossum Field.

The Squirrels exploded for 10 runs in the fourth inning despite getting just two balls out of the infield. The frame included five hits, four errors and a couple of run-producing wild pitches.

“Sometimes they just roll your way. That’s baseball,” said Squirrels rightfielder Jack Simonsen. “Sometimes they don’t go your way, so when it happens like that, it’s a good feeling.”

The inning started with a Hops error before back-to-back bunts turned into base hits. A hit batter plated the initial run before an error led to another.

That’s when one of the two balls hit to the outfield in the frame occurred as Simsonen drove one into the rightfield corner for a two-run double.

“The fastballs were all away so I just tried to get up on it a little bit and go with it and take it the other way,” Simonsen said. “I normally hit better that way than trying to pull it, anyway.”

From there, two wild pitches made the margin 10-1, and two more infield hits along with two more errors pushed the lead to 14-1. One of the errors came on a dropped flyball to the outfield.

There was nothing small about how the Squirrels grabbed the lead in the top of the second inning when Damon Baruth belted a three-run home run over the leftfield fence.

Simonsen, who just finished his collegiate career at North Dakota State is a pickup player from Brandon Valley. He talked about the importance of Sunday’s win which now moves the Squirrels to within a game of playing for the state championship.

“This is my first year of really playing amateur, but it seems like pitching is a premium so to have a chance to go into the championship in one game, and being able to save pitchers for what we need, I think that’s going to be huge,” Simonsen said, “rather than trying to go through the loser’s bracket or whatever. This is definitely a good set up it seems like just from the pitching stand point.”

Simonsen finished with four hits, drove in three runs and also scored three times. Baruth also drove in three, while Zach Pibble, Carter Ades, and Sam Rall each had two hits. Pibble and Rall also scored three runs apiece.

Bryce Ronken had a pair of hits for the Hops.

Simonsen said it’s easy joining a squad like the Squirrels because he knows all of the players.

“These guys are awesome. I’ve known them forever,” he said. “They’re all really good guys, so it’s easy to come on.”

The Squirrels will face Renner in a battle of the two lone unbeaten squads at 1 p.m. Friday at Cadwell Park in Mitchell with the winner advancing to the state championship contest.

Simonsen plans on making the most of his opportunity with his new team.

“I’m glad I’m on the Squirrels. Let’s go get it and I’m looking forward to a good game,” Simonsen said. “Let’s get squirrely.”

Sioux Falls Squirrels 031 (10)03 – 17 13 0

Sioux Falls Hops 100 000 – 1 4 9

Stuart Baruth and Sam Rall; Jacob Glovich, Jason Steckley (4), Andrew Glovich (5) and Charlie Dubanoski. 2B – Sioux Falls Squirrels, Jack Simonsen; Sioux Falls Hops, Dubanoski. HR – Sioux Falls Squirrels, Damon Baruth.