The Renner Royals, for the second straight day, waited until the latter innings to get the bats going as they came back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat Sioux Falls East in the first game of the championship 6-5 to claim the title.
East scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first off a Ryne Hammstrom fielder’s choice and he would score on a two out error. An RBI single in the bottom of the third gave East a 3-0 lead and the advantage would hold up until the top of the seventh when Renner would make its comeback again. Teegan Schlimgen doubled home the first run before he was singled in by Zach Ridl in the next at-bat. With two outs, Sam Stukel doubled home Ridl on a full count pitch to tie the game at 3-3 sending it into extras. Austin Henry scored on a wild pitch to give the Royals its first lead in the eighth as Manny Struck would extend it with a suicide squeeze before Schlimgen again would single home a run. Ty Schaefer, in the bottom of the eight, pulled East within one but the tying run was left on third.
Pierre’s Maguire Raske was named to the All-Tournament team with his pitching performance against Harrisburg on Sunday going five and a third of shutout baseball, striking out 12 Harrisburg hitters. He also went 5-13 at the plate for the Eights in his final state tournament.
Renner and Sioux Falls East have both qualified for the Regional Tournament with East being the host team. The two teams will begin its Regional Tournament next Wednesday at the Bird Cage in Sioux Falls.
