Red Sox begins tourney action next week

Red Sox begins tourney action next week By Parker Knox
Sports Writer The Vermillion Red Sox last season lost their first two games in the state â�?�?Aâ�? tournament and were sent home early. Determined to get back and go farther this time, the Sox will open that pursuit in a four-team district tourney next week. The Red Sox are assigned to a district that also includes Yankton, Mitchell and Brandon.�? The four clubs will meet in about as central a location as could be found â�?�? the ballpark at Freeman â�?�? with two teams advancing to state â�?�?Aâ�? play the following week.�? Exact pairings were not finalized by the Plain Talkâ�?�?s deadline, but the Red Sox will play their first game at Freeman either Tuesday or Wednesday. This year the first weekend of state â�?�?Aâ�? tournament play will be staged in Rapid City with the big tournament windup the following week in Mitchell. The Red Sox continued to score runs in double-digit proportions, climaxing a four-victory week with a 12-7 home triumph over Garretson Sunday and improving their record to 17-4. Spotting Garretson a pair of first-inning runs, the Red Sox came right back�? to take command�? as their first five batters of the game all reached base and scored.�? It was 9-3 after three innings. Garretson creeped back into the game and was within 9-7 in the middle of the sixth.�?  However, Daschle Larsen, who had a three-hit day, tripled and was immediate- ly cashed in by a Josh Malenosky single to make it 10-7.�? Vermillion added two more runs in the seventh.�?  Jon Merrigan, who also hit safely three times, ignited this final rally with a single.�?  A wild pitch and another Larsen hit made it 12-7 after seven, and the game ended at that point by mutual agreement.�? Neither team had any substitute players available. Jared Heidesch, who like Malenosky drove in two runs as a hitter, pitched the full seven innings for the Red Sox, striking out nine and scattering 10 Garretson hits.�?  He walked only three. Derek Chester, one of three Garretson pitchers, drove in three of his team's runs. Starting at 11 p.m. Friday, the Red Sox were part of the 48-hour baseball marathon in Sioux Falls and made the most of their middle-of-the-night appearance, defeating the Sioux Falls Saints, 11-2.�?  The game ended at 2:30 a.m. Saturday. Tyler Tasker pitched five innings for the Sox, and Jason Miller threw the final four in relief.�? Cole Knippling slugged his fourth home run of the season, Malenosky stroked a pair of doubles, and Curt Truhe had a double and two singles. Earlier in the week the Red Sox defeated the Akron Rebels for the fourth time in four games, 16-4.�? The Sox got a seven-inning complete-game effort from Brad donovan.�? Robin Chute hit his 15th double of the season. The Sox also won last week at Valley Springs, 7-4, as Heidesch went seven innings for the pitching win.�?  Miller, who pitched the final two innings, got a save.�?  Knippling also homered in this game.