14U STICKS ELIMINATED IN REGION 6 CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

Centerville proved to be too tough for the defending Class B 14U champions as the Canistota/Freeman Sticks were eliminated in the championship round of the SD VFW Region 6B Tournament. Facing a must-win game in the double-elimination tournament, the Sticks fell to 9-5 Wednesday night, July 13 in Freeman.

Canistota/Freeman, which lost to Centerville in a thriller on Tuesday, needed to win Wednesday’s 5 p.m. game and then win again against Centerville at 7:30 p.m. to advance to keep the season alive and advance to state. Instead they finish what was a solid year with a 15-3 record.

EARLIER

Canistota/Freeman came away with a must-win victory against Canova Tuesday night to advance to the championship round of the SD VFW 14U Region 6B Tournament, where they will face Centerville in at least one rematch game Wednesday evening. The Sticks stayed alive with an 11-1 win over the Gang. 

Canistota/Freeman and Centerville will square off at Merchants State Bank Field in Freeman at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. If the Sticks win, they will play Centerville again Wednesday night for a spot in the state tournament. If Centerville wins either of the two games, they will advance.

Centerville defeated Canistota/Freeman 4-3 Tuesday afternoon. In that game, the Sticks fell behind early, came back to take a 2-1 lead and were three outs away from beating Centerville, only to fall 4-3 in a heartbreaker.

Centerville scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 4-2 lead but the Sticks got one back in the final half-inning and had the tying run on second base with nobody out — but that’s where he stayed. 

Salem also competed in the Region 6B tournament and was eliminated by Canova on Tuesday.