Titan softball team ends season with loss in SoDak 16

The Tea Area High School softball team saw its season come to an end Tuesday, May 26, falling to Rapid City Stevens High School, 10-6, in the SoDak 16 match-up in Rapid City. With the victory, Stevens earned a berth in the Class AA State Softball Tournament.

The Titans came out strong early, using timely hitting and solid defense to build a 4-0 lead through the first three innings. After a scoreless opening frame, Tea Area broke through in the top of the second inning.

Kaylyn Hall opened the inning with a walk before Brynn Kline laid down a sacrifice bunt to move courtesy runner Lillian Turek to third. Preslie Benning followed with a walk, and Anna Somsen brought home the game’s first run with a sacrifice bunt. Madison Dragt then delivered a two-run triple to left field, scoring Benning and Somsen to put the Titans ahead 3-0.

Tea added another run in the third inning when Abby Boom singled and later scored after Kline reached on an error.

The Raiders answered in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hazel Russell was hit by a pitch before Allison Larson-Dike blasted a two-run home run to left field, cutting the deficit to 4-2.

Tea Area responded again in the fifth. Ava Opland reached on a single and advanced to second on an error before Hall singled to put runners on the corners. Kline then delivered an RBI single and advanced on another Stevens error, allowing two runs to score and extending the Titans’ advantage to 6-2.

Stevens chipped away in the bottom half of the fifth. Audrinna Colhoff doubled and later scored, while Bristol Mehrer added an RBI single to make it 6-4.

The Raiders erupted in the sixth inning, capitalizing on several Tea Area miscues. 

Stevens scored six runs in the frame, highlighted by RBI singles from Macy Muth, Norah Tideman, Hazel Russell and Allison Larson-Dike. The inning turned the Titans’ 6-4 lead into a 10-6 deficit.

Tea Area was unable to rally in the seventh inning. Brynn Kline lined out to center field before Preslie Benning struck out looking. Ahryana Drake drew a walk to keep the inning alive, but Madison Dragt’s fly out to center ended the game.

Dragt led the Titans offensively with a triple and two RBIs, while Opland, Boom, Hall, Somsen, and Benning each recorded hits for Tea Area.

Kaylyn Hall pitched into the sixth inning for the Titans before Ahryana Drake came on in relief. Hall recorded three strikes and Drake one. 

With the win, Stevens advanced to the Class AA State Softball Tournament, scheduled for June 4-6 at Augustana University in Sioux Falls.