Saturday was full of comebacks for Pierre Post 8 as they win its first two games of the season defeating Fargo Post 400 9-5 in eight innings and Bellevue East 8-5 to finish pool play at 2-2.
The Eights opened up the first game of the day with a 1-0 lead from a Bennett Dean RBI sacrifice fly before the Stars answered with a 2-1 lead. Brecken Krueger tied the game up in the top of the second with a fielder’s choice, but Fargo scored the next three runs and led 5-2 after heading into the top of the fifth. Gary Nedved started the comeback with an RBI single in the fifth before a two run triple by George Stalley tied the game at 5-5. Heading into the top of the eighth, Krueger had the winning RBI with a single, his second RBI of the game. Jayden Wiebe drove in another two runs and Jack Merkwan drove in the final run of the four run inning for Pierre to complete the comeback. Krueger came in relief on the mound and had four scoreless innings allowing just two hits and a walk.
Grayson Hunsley was dominate in the second game on the mound with six and two thirds scoreless innings of relief in the Eights comeback. The Eights found themselves down 5-0 after the top of the first inning, but Pierre started to chip away. In the bottom of the first Jonny Lyons drove in Pierre’s first run on an RBI ground out. In the bottom of the second Connor Bruce doubled home Spencer Letellier and Krueger had a sacrifice fly RBI to pull Pierre within two 5-3. Matt Hanson reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the fourth and came around to score on three wild pitches in the same at bat to make it a 5-4 ballgame. The Eights finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead as Hanson doubled to tie the game and Krueger singling to give the Eights its first lead. Krueger had both winning RBIs in the doubleheader on Saturday. Wiebe and Merkwan each had an RBI to give room for error for Pierre in the seventh. Hunsley didn’t need it though. in a near seven inning outing, he allowed just three hits, two hit batters and two strikeouts on only 62 pitches.
The Eights are now 2-4 on the season and will be looking for a three game winning streak as Pierre will face Sturgis at 2:00 Central Time on Sunday. The game will be on KCCR and on YouTube at KCCR Sports with Jon Winkler on the call.
