Titan softball falls to Washington, Roosevelt; bounces back with win over Mitchell

The Tea Area High School softball team faced a challenging stretch of competition last week, dropping games to the Sioux Falls Washington Warriors and the Sioux Falls Roosevelt Rough Riders before bouncing back with an impressive 8-1 victory over the Mitchell Kernels on Monday, May 11.

On Tuesday, May 5, Tea Area was held scoreless in a 6-0 loss to Sioux Falls Washington.

The Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the opening inning and added another run in the third. Washington broke the game open with two runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh.

Tea Area threatened in the first inning when Abby Boom drew a walk and advanced to third after Allie Wallum reached on an error, but the Titans were unable to capitalize.

Wallum recorded Tea Area’s first extra-base hit with a double in the fourth inning. Boom added a double in the sixth, and Ava Opland singled in the seventh.

Kaylyn Hall started in the circle and struck out four batters over 5-2/3 innings. Brynn Kline pitched the final 1-1/3 innings and added three strikeouts in relief.

The Titans appeared poised for a road victory on Thursday, May 7, before Roosevelt erupted for six runs in the fifth inning to claim a 7-5 win.

After trailing 1-0, Tea Area responded with a huge fourth inning, scoring five runs to take a 5-1 advantage.

Kline started the rally with a double, and Wallum was hit by a pitch. Hall drove in Kline with a fielder’s choice before Wallum scored on a passed ball. Anna Somsen followed with an RBI double, and Morgan Sehr added another RBI double. Sehr later scored on a wild pitch to cap the inning.

Roosevelt answered in the bottom of the fifth with six runs, highlighted by a two-run home run and another two-run homer.

Tea Area had opportunities to rally late, loading the bases in the sixth and putting runners on in the seventh, but could not push across the tying runs.

Hall, Opland, and Kline each collected two hits. Kline, Somsen and Sehr each doubled, while Wallum and Boom also reached base multiple times. Hall and Kline handled pitching duties, each recording two strike-outs. 

Tea Area started this week strong on Monday, May 11, defeating Mitchell 8-1 at home.

The Titans scored in the first inning when Hall singled to drive in Wallum. Tea Area then broke the game open with four runs in the third inning.

Wallum drove in Boom with a single, Preslie Benning added an RBI single, and Opland delivered a two-run single to extend the lead to 5-0.

Tea Area added three more runs in the sixth inning. Sehr singled home Somsen, Boom brought in another run with a groundout, and Wallum capped the scoring with an RBI triple.

Hall was dominant in the pitching circle, allowing just one unearned run while striking out six batters in a complete-game effort.

The Titans finished with eight hits. Opland led the offense with two hits and two RBIs. Wallum went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a triple. Hall added one hit and an RBI. 

The Titans will travel to Rapid City on Thursday, May 14 to take on Rapid City Stevens. On Monday, May 18 the team hosts Yankton and on Tuesday, May 19 Tea Area will host Pierre T.F. Riggs. 

They wrap up their regular season on Thursday, May 21 with a road game against Aberdeen Central.