Staff Report
The Garretson Blue Jays 2020 season came to an end on Monday, August 10 when they lost in the second game of the Class B South Dakota Amateur Baseball State Tournament with a score of 2-5.
On Friday, August 7, the amateur baseball team faced up against the South Central Storm in Mitchell. The Blue Jays trounced the Storm, cutting them out of the game early and finishing the 7th inning with a game-winning 14-4 score.
With this win, the Blue Jays were on their way toward claiming the State Tournament Title, which they missed last year when they fell to Alexandria in the Championship game. There were four official elimination games and one championship game slated for the state championship this year. Hoping to redeem themselves, the Blue Jays stepped into the second game with a positive attitude, playing the Winner/Colome Pheasants on Monday.
Unfortunately, the Pheasants came out of the gate roaring, snatching three runs in the first inning. Batter Chandler Bakley doubled on a 1-2 count, scoring two runs. The Blue Jays started to make up ground, with Scott Splett and Nick Bonte earning a point each in innings 2 and 4. It was game over after the Pheasants claimed two more runs in the 5th and 6th inning. Neither team scored in the final innings.
Dustin Steckler took the loss for Garretson Blue Jays. He surrendered five runs on 11 hits over eight innings, striking out seven. The Pheasants’ Derek Graesser struck out three.
Austin Van Hove led Garretson Blue Jays with two hits in three at bats. The Blue Jays didn't commit a single error in the field. Austin Van Hove had ten chances in the field, the most on the team.
In a Facebook post after the game, the Blue Jays wrote, “The Blue Jays season came to an end last night losing to Winner 5-2. Thanks to our families, friends, and the community for the support all year long.
“The annual Blue Jay Open 4-man scramble will [be] August 22 at River Ridge in Garretson. Contact the course to sign up your team.”
The Blue Jay Open is an annual fundraiser which helps to pay for equipment and dues for the team, which plays each summer from mid-June until August. The golf tournament will begin at 10:00 a.m. at River Ridge. The $60 fee ($30 for members) includes green fee, cart, mulligans, and pin prizes.
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