STURGIS, SD – The Sturgis Scooper girls softball team dropped two games to East River foes on Thursday at the Fort Meade Softball Complex.

The Scoopers lost game one to the Sioux Falls Lincoln Patriots, 12-2, and the unbeaten Sioux Falls Jefferson Cavaliers thumped Sturgis in game two of the doubleheader, 18-1.

Sturgis scored first in the bottom of the first inning and Lincoln tied it up at 1-1 in the top of the second. Anessa Pickner blasted a three-run homer in the top of the third to blow the game open, giving Lincoln a 4-1 advantage. Kennedi Fairbrother added a three-run dinger of her own with two outs in the third to make the score Patriots 7, Scoopers 1 headed into the fourth. Lincoln added four runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to earn the 12-2 victory.

Reese Husman earned the pitching win for Sioux Falls Lincoln (10-7). The Patriots pounded out 15 hits and were led by Pickner, who went 2-for-4 at the plate with one HR and four RBIs. Jayna Johnston took the loss for Sturgis. The Scoopers finished with seven hits and were led by Avery Anderson, who went 3-for-3 with one double and two singles.

The Jefferson Cavaliers jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two innings in game two and cruised to an 18-1 win.

Tya Devericks got the win for Sioux Falls Jefferson (17-0), striking out 15 Scoopers on 88 pitches with just one walk. Jefferson had 22 hits, including home runs by Devericks, Rayna Reisdorfer, Bella Sorum and Brooklyn Herrera.

Syndey Andrezjewski took the pitching loss for Sturgis. The Scoopers had six hits and were led by Carsyn Anderson, who went 2-for-three with one RBI.

The Scoopers fell to 4-7 on the season and face the Stevens Raiders and the Central Cobblers in a Friday morning doubleheader in Rapid City.