Post 18 Juniors Compete in Dakota Classic Tournament, Finish 2-2

SIOUX FALLS — Over the weekend, Palace City Post 18 Junior Legion baseball team participated in the Dakota Classic Tournament at Harmodon Park, concluding with a record of 2 wins and 2 losses.

On Sunday, Post 18 faced Waverly Junior Legion from Nebraska in a placement game, securing a narrow 7-6 victory after four innings. Waverly jumped ahead early, scoring four runs in the first inning, but Palace City responded with five consecutive runs and added two more in the bottom of the third to clinch the win. The team registered five hits compared to Waverly's four, benefiting from six errors committed by their opponents.

Blake Rehorst took over pitching duties from Madden Graves in the first inning, delivering 2 2/3 innings with two runs allowed on one hit, along with one strikeout. Owen Borgan finished the game, allowing no runs and one hit while striking out two. Jordon Ebert was the standout batter for Post 18, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Karsten Herges contributed with one hit and two RBIs.

In their opening pool play game on Friday, Post 18 triumphed over Ralston (Neb.) with a score of 13-5. After trailing 4-1 in the fourth inning, they exploded offensively, scoring six runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to secure the victory in just five innings. The team outhit Ralston 9-4, with Borgan leading the offense with two hits, four RBIs, and a run scored. Ebert pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on four hits, while Jett Kranz closed the game with no hits allowed.

Saturday proved challenging for Palace City, as they lost both games. The first setback came against Lincoln North Star (Neb.) with a close score of 10-7, despite outhitting them 9-2. Defensive errors and control issues allowed Lincoln to capitalize. Noah Bennett stood out offensively with two hits and three RBIs. In their second game, they faced Omaha Wow Factor 14U Midwest National (Neb.), suffering a 17-0 defeat in just three innings.

Post 18 Juniors, now with a season record of 10-9, are set to host Harrisburg for a doubleheader on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Drake Field in Mitchell.