The Aberdeen Smittys managed just two runs on Sunday afternoon, but are moving in the right direction, according to coach Nathan Gonnelly.

The Smittys were swept by Harrisburg 2-0 and 6-2 in High School baseball action at Fossum fielod.

“We have some new guys playing some different positions, some guys who have been at track for a couple days now,” Gonnelly said. “That’s just kind of spring baseball. But compared to our games (Saturday), we played phenomenal. The boys had energy and it was just a really fun day against a very competitive Harrisburg team.”

In the first game, errors hindered the Smittys as Harrisburg drove in two runs in the third inning, one being unearned. With one out, Eli Kokenge hit a singled to leftfield, but a misread ground ball allowed one run to score, which set Harrisburg up for a sac-fly on the following at-bat.

“I thought we just had some errors. One of them led to runs,” Gonnelly said. “It was the ground ball in the outfield, but everything else, just the minor stuff.”

Joran Foss started on the hill for the Smittys throwing five innings, with five strikeouts, four hits and one walk. Michael Dutenhoffer came in relief in the sixth and closed out the game for the Smittys, and then started game two.

“That’s just our brand of baseball. (Saturday), we just walked too many guys and that’s kind of been something that’s been hurting us all season,” said Gonnelly. “So, to have guys like that come in and shove, it just helps the dynamic of the team.”

Dutenhoffer used the momentum he had from the first game to help him get out to a hot start in the second game only allowing one hit and one unearned run through 22 pitches in recording the first six outs.

“I kind of had the confidence coming out from the first game and I think I did pretty well that game and I just decided to just continue it and just keep pumping,” Dutenhoffer said. “Definitely keeps your arm more healthy from longer counts.”

The unearned run came on a high infield pop up that dropped in between four players, and eventually became Harrisburg’s first run. That pop up seemed to be a combination of the wind and lack of communication. Windy conditions certainly impacted play.

“It’s hard to get used to. The ball definitely flies differently when the wind’s coming. I get going back to where I think it’s gonna be and then it flies in,” said leftfielder Karson Borge. “I mean you get accustomed to it as the game goes on.”

After a 6-pitch inning from Dutenhoffer, he led off the bottom of the second with a walk, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Levi Hoffman moved Dutenhoffer to third with no outs.

“I saw it in the dirt and basically anything we could get was helpful. So right as I saw it go down, I said ‘We have to go,’” said Dutenhoffer. “It’s definitely very key because it gives them a lot of confidence that all they gotta do is put it in play and I’ll be home.”

Dutenhoffer eventually scored on a two-out single by Karson Borge to tie the game.

“Before the game, the coaches were talking about how we need to get guys in when we have them in scoring position and just hit the ball and get it in play and score guys,” Borge said. “So, I get up there and I thought, if I see a pitch I like, I’m gonna rip it. And I mean, I kind of did.”

Borge advanced to second on a wild pitch, and moved to third on a single from Jehiel Aviles, who got caught in a run down between first and second, which allowed Borge to score before Aviles was tagged for the third out.

First base coach Tyson Lien, who wrestled for Northern State this past season, received credit for that run.

“Coach Lien kind of took the reins on that one because we call out the numbers and as soon as you start calling stuff, the defense knows something’s on,” said Gonnelly. “Our first base coaches have the green light to do whatever they need to do over there, and him and Jehiel executed beautifully. I send Borge home and batta-bing batta-boom we’re up 2-1.”

Borge said the Smittys had a similar opportunity a couple weeks ago and couldn’t execute it, but knew they would the next time.

“We had a situation like that earlier in the year where he was gonna go and get in a little pickle, but it didn’t work out,” Borge said. “We had that opportunity today. He was gonna work his way into a pickle and get deep into it and then I was gonna go score.”

However, that was all the offense the Smittys could muster. Meanwhile Harrisburg answered with a home run in the top half of the third, and continued to score two runs in the fifth, another in the sixth, and one more in the seventh for the final margin of difference.

Despite the two losses for the Smittys, Gonnelly believes that the work will pay off as the squad prepares for another home series against O’Gorman and Huron next weekend.

“Get some rest (Monday) and we’re gonna hit it hard on Thursday. Do a little soul searching here, gonna get the boys tough a little bit. Not as a punishment, that’s just one thing in our game that we kind of need right now,” Gonnelly said. “We’re gonna hit it hard this week and I mean, play exactly how we did today, and good things will come.”

Harrisburg 002 000 0 – 2 4 1

Aberdeen Smittys 000 000 0 – 0 5 3

Gavin Weir and Michael Oakland; Joran Foss, Michael Dutenhoffer 6) and Levi Hoffman.

Harrisburg 101 021 1 – 6 9 0

Aberdeen Smittys 020 000 0 – 2 2 1

Ethan Beek, Rylan Boe (7) and Treydon Hofer; Michael Dutenhoffer, Brayden Bowman (5) and Levi Hoffman. 2B – Harrisburg, Eli Kokenge. HR – Harrisburg, Kokenge.