The Wessington Springs Owls took to the field Thursday night for their first round match-up with Parkston at the State Tournament.

Despite ten days removed from the District Tournament the Owls came out firing. Arin Boschee got things going with a single to left.

The Owls would then get runners on first and second when Nathan Hainy reached base with a hit by pitch. Pick-up player Chris Hill singled to left center to score the first run of the game. Kaleb Kopfmann kept the inning rolling with a double to deep center scoring Hainy and Hill.

With a 3-0 lead Arin Boschee took to the mound to keep the lead. He kept the Parkston offense scoreless until the third inning. Parkston was able to score two runs on two hits and a walk. The Owls were still leading 3-2 after three innings. Parkston was able to score one more in the fourth and the fifth to take a 4-3 lead. But the Owls answered back with one of their own in the sixth to tie the game at 4.

The run came on an Austin Olson single, a walk to Adam Kaus, and then an RBI single by Boschee. Trouble came in the seventh for the Owls. Parkston was able to score four runs in the frame aided by two walks, two errors, and a hit batsman. Starting pitcher Arin Boschee was unable to get an out in the seventh so the Owls brought in Hainy to try to hold down the Parkston offense. He was able to do so, but the offense was unable to overcome the four run deficit.

The Owls would lose 8-4. Kaus, Boschee, Kopfmann, and Hill all had two hits for the Owls. Austin Olson added one. Boschee pitched six strong innings giving up 8 runs on 8 hits while striking out five. Hainy pitched the final two innings not allowing a run and struck out two.

“We felt like we were in the game the whole time. Parkston is a high scoring offense that won the Sunshine League, for us to hold them down is a sign of how good we can play defensively,” manager Nathan Hainy said, “We felt like even though the season didn’t end the way we were hoping, our season was a success just by making the State Tournament. After all, we didn’t even know if we would be able to field a team in May.”

The Owls would like to sincerely thank our fans that traveled near and far to watch us play. Also, they thank the individuals and businesses that donated money to keep our team going.

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