Despite the COVID-19 pandemic heating up in South Dakota, the Wessington Springs VFW Teener baseball teams have found a way to stay active on the field and provide some somewhat safe entertainment for sports enthusiasts. 

The past week of play started with both the 14U and 16U teams traveling to Parkston on Monday, June 8 to take on the I-90 Parks-ton teams. The first game was a struggle for the 14U boys. They were led offensively by Kade Olinger with the only hit of the night for Wessington Springs when he hit a single in the fifth inning.

The 16U Teeners played a tough 1-90 Parkston 16U team, but the Wessington Springs 16U team came out strong both offensively and defensively to seal a close 3-0 victory. Coen Harvey was on the hill for Wessington Springs 16U. He went three innings, allowing zero runs on three hits, striking out six and walking no one.

Carter Christian comes through with an RBI for Wessington Springs during the 14U Teener game against Emery last Friday night.

Both the Teener teams welcomed Wagner to Wessington Springs on Wednesday, June 10. The 14U boys found themselves up against another tough opponent with Wagner scoring several runs in the first inning, and the younger Wessington Springs team couldn’t recover resulting in a loss with a final score of Wessington Springs 2, Wagner 7.

The 16U fellas had another close game, this time against Wagner. Two pitchers worked cohesively to throw a shutout for the Wessington Springs 16U team. Cooper Hainy started on the mound giving up zero runs on two hits over six innings, striking out 11. Quinten Christensen came in to relieve Hainy and ended the game with a strikeout to hand Wagner a loss with a final score of 1-0.

The busy week for Wessington Springs ended on Friday night when both teams hosted Emery. In the 14U game, Wessington Springs had two pitchers who, together, didn’t allow a single hit, which helped the team defeat Emery 6-0.

The Wessington Springs 14U and 16U both saw their next action at games in Scotland on Monday, June 15 and they then went to Corsica on Wednesday, June 17. The next game for the 14U will be Saturday, June 20 against Chamberlain in Wessington Springs at 2 p.m. Following that game, both teams will have their next game on Monday, June 22, in Wagner at 5:30 p.m.

…Read more details and see more pictures in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal!