Tanager baseball wins thriller 3-2

The Tanager varsity baseball club excited fans by scoring three runs in the top of the seventh inning to beat the Yankton High School baseball club with a 3-2 score, Yankton took the lead in the second inning with one run but the Tanager defense kicked in with a stellar performance. In the bottom of the third, Bobby Dykstra fielded a ball and threw it to Zach Weiss who tagged second base forcing out the runner. Weiss then threw to C.J. Haakinson who completed the double play.

The outfield and infield defense remained strong leaving many Yankton players on base over the next innings. In the sixth inning Yankton scored their second run on a sacrifice fly. The Tanager offense then came on strong in the seventh inning.

Eric McPherson gets on first with a hit and Vermillion's first run was scored by courtesy runner Jerrod Friedel. Kyle Nemec then gets on base and Yankton changes pitchers. Dykstra gets on first due to an error and advances Nemec. Jeff Donnelly also gets on base due to an error and credited with two RBI's, Dykstra and Nemec.

The climax was the last play with Yankton's tying run on second. Haakinson catches a pop up at first for Yankton's second out. The runner at second tagged up and proceeded to third. Haakinson then throws the ball to third baseman Dykstra who temporarily lost the ball in the sun.

However, Dykstra stayed with the loose ball and rifled it to catcher Eric McPherson who made a fantastic third out at home plate to end the game with the win.

Tanager pitching was also strong. Alex Schaack lead the pitching action and had 11 strike outs. J.R. Moore relieved Schaack and had three strike outs. Moore was hit by a line drive, but managed to stay with the ball, throwing it left handed resulting in an out at first.

Moore was unable to return to the mound. Weiss was the closing pitcher.

In junior varsity action, Vermillion lost 7-2. The Tanager's next baseball games will be in Beresford on Sunday.