Titans 16U make a deep run at State

The Titan 16 U baseball team made a great showing this past weekend at the Class A State Baseball Tournament, which was held at three sites, Tea, Renner, and Harrisburg. The Titans hosted the “Tea Pool”.

In game one, the Titans defeated Brookings by a score of 19-0. Owen Schramm pitched the complete game shut out, surrendering only two hits in his four inning of work. Ty Olson and Kaden Christian led the offense with two hits each. Olson drove in three RBIs, while Christian, Braxon Willemssen, and Camden Willson each drove in two for the Titans.

In game two of pool play, the Titans defeated Yankton by a score of 9-1. 

Braeden Carroll, Kaden Christian, and Egan Geelan, split the pitching duties for the Titans. Geelan and Carol led the way offensively with two hits each. Nate Hall was on base four times during the contest. Geelan led the team with two runs batted in. The Titans took a 6-0  lead in the fourth inning and never looked back.

In game three of pool play, the Titans faced the Rapid City Post 320 Risers, in a battle which would decide the winner of the Tea pool.  In this pitchers duel, Nate Hall went six strong innings for the Titans, giving up only one earned run, striking out seven, and giving up only four hits, yet the Titans found themselves down by a score of 2-1, going to the bottom of the sixth inning. The Titans loaded the bases, and with two outs, Braxon Willemssen delivered a two out, two run single to take a 3 -2 lead. Kaden Christian came on in the seventh to close the door on Rapid City to secure the win for the Titans and give them the number one seed going into Sunday’s bracket play.  

With the number one seed, came a first round bye for Sunday’s bracket play, which set up a semifinal match-up versus the Rapid City Post 22 Bullets. 

In another pitching battle, the fans saw the game go into the fifth inning tied 3-3.

The Titans put up two runs in their half of the fifth, only to have Rapid City put up a five spot in the sixth inning to seal the win for Post 22. 

For the Titans, Braxon Willemssen pitched five innings giving up three runs on seven hits and striking out three.

Offensively, the Titans were led by Egan Geelan with two hits, Nate Hall, Blake Treloar, Brayden Carroll, and Camden Willson all with runs batted in for the Titans. 

The Titans finished their season with 21 wins, 13 losses, and one tie.

The Titans were coached by Mason Schramm and assisted by Rick Willemssen.