For the second straight year, the 12U Pierre Little League Allstars will be headed to the state tournament. Pierre defeated Brandon Valley 4-3 Sunday afternoon at Griffin Park to qualify for the tournament.
The Allstars beat Huron 12-2 in four innings on Friday before falling in its first qualifying game on Saturday, 7-1 to Sioux Falls. Sunday, Pierre scored first and never trailed in the game with the 4-3 win.
Will Eilers drove in three runs of the four for Pierre as he went 2-3 at the plate with a triple. Porter Hunsley went 3-3 with a triple as the two combined for five of the six hits in total. Landry Van Roeckel had the other Pierre hit.
Hunsley went four and a third innings on the mound giving up just three runs on six hits with three walks and he had eight strikeouts. Van Roeckel shut the door with the five out save allowing just one hit in the six batters he faced, including a clean 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth to get the win.
Pierre and Sioux Falls both advance to the state tournament to face the two qualifying West River Teams. The West River qualifier will be held next weekend with the state tournament to be played July 22-24 in Rapid City.
