Titan baseball ends season with loss to Harrisburg in Super Regionals

The No. 16 seed Tea Area Titans saw their 2026 baseball season come to an end on Friday, May 15, as they traveled to face top-seeded Harrisburg in the Class A Super Regional Tournament. In the best-of-three series, the Tigers swept the Titans with 5-1 and 7-1 victories to earn a berth in the South Dakota State Baseball Tournament.

In the first game, the Tigers broke through in the bottom of the second inning. After Treydon Hofer was hit by a pitch and Griffen Schlapkohl drew a walk, Harrisburg used aggressive baserunning to manufacture runs. Andrew Dierks, running for Hofer, scored the game’s first run on a fielder’s choice by Collin Wright. Schlapkohl then stole home, and Gavin Weir followed with an RBI single to give the Tigers a 3-0 advantage.

Harrisburg added two more runs in the fourth when Weir blasted a two-run home run to right field, extending the lead to 5-0.

Tea Area broke through in the top of the sixth inning. Zach Rieland reached on an error and Zach Pies followed with a single. After Braxton Holland entered as a courtesy runner and stole third base, Miles Jelen lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Holland and put the Titans on the board.

The Titans threatened no further, as Wede closed out the complete-game victory.

Tea Area’s only hits came from Pies and Rieland. Jelen drove in the Titans’ lone run.

Bryson Prussman turned in a strong effort on the mound for Tea Area despite the loss, allowing five runs while striking out nine batters over six innings.

The second game was tightly contested through five innings before Harrisburg capitalized on a series of defensive miscues to pull away.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Gavin Weir opened the game with a solo home run to right field.

Tea Area answered in the bottom of the third. Nate Hall reached on an error and advanced all the way to third. With Tyson Gilbert drawing a walk and stealing second, Hall raced home on a steal of home to tie the game at 1-1.

Starting pitcher Ethan Knettel kept the Tigers in check, and the game remained deadlocked until the sixth inning.

Harrisburg erupted for six runs in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of several Tea Area errors and timely hits. Dalton Wendling delivered a two-run double, and Collin Wright followed with a two-run single to cap the decisive inning.

Tea Area was unable to rally in the final two innings. Hall and Landyn Johnson each reached base multiple times, while Knettel and Gilbert also contributed offensively. Johnson added two walks in the contest.

Knettel pitched effectively through five innings before the sixth-inning rally. Zach Pies came on in relief and worked the seventh inning, striking out one. 

With the win, Harrisburg advanced to the state tournament, while Tea Area concluded its 2026 season.