This week opens up the 2024 baseball season as the Pierre Governors are set to defend its first state championship in program history.
Last season, Pierre did not play its opening game of the season until almost mid-April because of the winter weather and cold. Pierre also started cold going 0-4 in the first week and starting 0-5 before rattling off 14 wins in a row to claim the state title. This year, the Governors won’t be a complete new team, but will have a different look to them. The team graduated the likes of Lincoln Kienholz, Deegan Houska, Brecken Krueger, Jack Merkwan, Jonny Lyons, Jackson Edman and Jayden Wiebe. Jett Zabel and George Stalley both return from last year’s team who hit over .300 while Zabel, JJ Bucholz and Ridge Leimbach return with the most pitching experience as all three have at least 10 innings from last season. Steve Gray, head coach of the Governors says its huge to have these returning guys…
The Governors have been able to be outside practicing leading up to opening week unlike last season and Gray says they have been getting the work in including on the field things last week…
The first part of the season has more JV games scheduled and for Gray, these are important games to get in for both JV and varsity…
The Governors are scheduled to open the season on Thursday against Rapid City Stevens and then Friday against Sturgis. Coverage of both games will be on KCCR and on YouTube at KCCR Sports with Jon Winkler on the call and both games are scheduled for first pitch at 8:00 Central Time.
