16U STICKS WIN REGION 4 OPENER IN FREEMAN

The 16U Sticks took their first step toward a state tournament berth with an 11-1 win over Parker in the first round of the Class B Region 4 Tournament in Freeman Monday evening, July 24.

The Freeman/Marion ballclub took a 2-1 lead in the second inning and led 4-1 after three before blowing the game open with a seven-run fifth inning to end the contest early via the 10-run mercy rule.

The Sticks will play again Wednesday at 3 p.m. against the winner of Tuesday’s game featuring Scotland/Menno (which had a first-round bye) and Tyndall (which defeated Salem in Monday’s opening game). Win or lose on Wednesday, they will play again in Thursday’s final round and for a spot in the 16U VFW state tournament in Parkston the first week of August.

Against Parker on Monday night, Freeman/Marion collected just six hits but took advantage of five Parker errors, four batters walked and five hit-by-pitches. Riley Gall led the offensive output with a 2-for-2 showing at the plate and two RBI. Tayden Kerrigan also had a 2-RBI triple and Luke Peters and Sawyer Wipf both added an RBI.

Evan Scharberg and Kerrigan took care of the pitching, throwing a combined 92 pitches and giving up just four hits. The single run scored by Parker was unearned.