STURGIS, S.D. – The Sturgis Scooper baseball team got things underway for the 2026 spring season by hosting the Rapid City Central Cobblers in a scrimmage last night at Strong Field.

Scooper head coach Paul Pool got a good look at his squad as they battled with the Cobblers through a regulation, seven inning affair.

Pool led off with his senior right hander, Brody Royer, who gave up no hits and no runs over one inning, striking out two and walking two.

Sturgis opened the scoring in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI single by Elijah Stroud, scoring Kjell Sundstrom. Brody Royer then crossed home plate on a single to right field by Carson Williams. The Cobblers then scored one in the top of the first, making the score 2-1 and cutting into the Sturgis lead.

Neither team could manage a run until the Scoopers plated eight runs in the sixth inning, blowing the game open and taking a 10-1 lead into the seventh. Rapid City Central generated some offense in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs, but couldn’t overcome the Scooper lead and lost to Sturgis, 10-4.

The Scoopers finished with seven hits for the scrimmage. Stroud, Williams, and Royer each drove in one run for Sturgis. The Scoopers had patience at the plate, drawing nine walks. Coach Pool used one pitcher per inning, starting with Royer and ending with Tyler Cutts in the top of the seventh, which gave Pool a good idea of who he might start on opening night.
Sam Farnsworth and Steven Solano each collected two hits for Rapid City Central.

The Sturgis Scoopers host the Huron Tigers on Friday night at 7 for their home opener.