YANKTON, SD – The #4 ranked Yankton Bucks used dominant pitching and a mix of small ball and power hitting to beat the #13 Sturgis Scoopers in the first round of the South Dakota High School Baseball Association playoffs on Friday and Saturday at the Mount Marty baseball fields.

In game one on Friday, Cael Pool got the pitching start for Sturgis and Beck Ryken opened the game for Yankton. Both teams were scoreless after one inning. The Bucks got into their groove in the bottom of the second, scoring seven runs on five hits to take a 7-0 lead.

Yankton added runs in the third and plated six more in the fourth inning to win 16-2 by the five inning mercy rule.

Ryken got the win for Yankton, throwing 78 pitches over five innings, striking out four and giving up six hits. The Bucks had eight hits and were led by Christian Weier, who went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs.

Pool took the pitching loss for Sturgis. The Scoopers pounded out six hits. Ethan Cermak went 2-for-3 at the dish with one run scored.

In game two, Yankton came out strong with six hits in the top of the first inning, including two doubles and two triples to jump out to a 6-0 lead. The Bucks never looked back, scoring two runs in the third, two more in the fourth and six in the fifth inning to win 16-0 in five innings by the mercy rule.

Sam Gokie earned the pitching win for the Bucks, striking out four and giving up only three hits with no walks. Yankton collected 10 hits and were led by Simon Kampshoff, who went 3-for-3 with two runs batted in.

Brody Royer took the loss for Sturgis, throwing 68 pitches over 2 1/3 innings, giving up six hits and walking five batters. The Scoopers could only manage four hits in game two.

Sturgis finishes their season with 10 wins and nine losses. Yankton improves to 20-4 and will move on to the State Baseball Tournament, May 22-23 at Augustana University in Sioux Falls.