STURGIS – The Aberdeen Smittys capped off their West River road trip with two more victories on Friday, taking down Sturgis 18-5, and 15-7 in American Legion baseball action. The wins came less than 24 hours after a sweep over Spearfish on Thursday.
The Smittys scored early and often in the first game, plating three runs in the first, six in the second, four in the third, and five in the fourth.
Lance Siefken had two-run doubles in both the first and second innings, and sacrifice fly in the fourth. Ridley Waldo had RBI singles in the second and fourth, and a sac fly in the third. Joran Foss plated a pair of runs with a single in the third.
Jehiel Aviles had three hits, and scored four four runs to lead the Smittys. Siefken contributed two hits, five RBI, and scored three times. Waldo finished with two hits and knocked in three.
Aberdeen scored three times in the both the first and second innings of the nightcap.
Karson Borge had a lead-off triple to start the game. Foss had a two-run single, and Jaxon Ladner drove in another run in the frame. Borge and Aviles had RBI hits in the second.
Sturgis rallied and trimmed an 8-4 deficit down to a single run before Aberdeen regained control with seven runs in the seventh. Bennett Eisenbeisz and Siefken each drove in a pair, while Borge, Foss and Joe Cogley each plated one.
Aviles had three hits, two RBI, and scored three runs. Foss finished with three hits, and knocked in three. Jared Klootwyk also three hits, and scored four times. Borge contributed two hits, three RBI, and scored twice.
The Smittys will now face Brandon Valley in the regional playoffs Wednesday and Thursday at Brandon in the best-of-three series.
Aberdeen Smittys 364 50 – 18 14 1
Sturgis 040 10 – 5 5 6
Joran Foss, Jared Klootwyk (5) and Levi Hoffman; Aidan Wood, Elijah Stroud (3) and Drew Janke. 2B – Aberdeen Smittys, Lance Siefken 2, Jaxon Ladner, Karson Borge, Michael Dutenhoffer; Sturgis, Stroud.
Aberdeen Smittys 331 010 7 – 15 18 4
Sturgis 310 030 0 – 7 10 1
Grant Beyer, Karson Borge (6), Jaxon Ladner (7) and Lance Siefken; Cael Pool, L. Lyons (7) and Kjell Sundstrom. 2B – Aberdeen Smittys, Jehiel Aviles, Joran Foss, Siefken; Sturgis, Dylan Dschaak. 3B – Aberdeen Smittys, Borge.
