Titans split weekend slate with win over Pierre

The Tea Area High School girls softball team faced a challenging stretch of games over the weekend, dropping contests to the Harrisburg Tigers and the Sioux Falls Jefferson Cavaliers before bouncing back with a win over Pierre T.F. Riggs Governors.

Tea Area opened play Friday, May 1, falling 16-1 to Harrisburg. The Titans struck early in the top of the first inning when Kaylyn Hall delivered an RBI double to score Ava Opland and give Tea Area a 1-0 lead.

Harrisburg responded quickly, tying the game in the bottom of the first before erupting for five runs in the second inning and continuing to build momentum throughout the game, pulling away for the win.

Tea Area collected hits from Opland, Allie Wallum and Preslie Benning and Hall. 

Pitching for the Titans were Brynn Kline, Ahryana Drake, and Hall. Kline and Hall each recorded a strike-out. 

On Saturday, May 2, the Titans faced Sioux Falls Jefferson and fell 15-0. Jefferson wasted little time establishing control, scoring six runs in the opening inning behind a string of extra-base hits, including a triple and a two-run home run.

The Cavaliers continued to apply pressure at the plate, adding runs in each of the next several innings. Tea Area’s offense was limited, with Abby Boom recording a single for the Titans. Hall and Kline handled pitching duties. Hall recorded one strike-out.

Despite the two losses, Tea Area rebounded later Saturday with a 7-5 victory over Pierre in a back-and-forth contest that extended into extra innings.

The Titans struck first in the opening inning as Morgan Sehr drove in a run with a single to give Tea Area a 1-0 lead. Kline helped keep Pierre off the board through the early innings, as the Titans held the advantage into the sixth.

Pierre tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, forcing extra innings. In the eighth, Tea Area broke through with a decisive rally. Kline delivered a key two-run triple, while Wallum added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead. Additional RBI singles from Preslie Benning and others helped the Titans build a six-run inning.

Pierre mounted a late rally in the bottom half of the inning, scoring four runs, but Tea Area held on to secure the 7-5 victory.

Kline led the offensive surge with a triple and multiple RBIs, while Boom, Wallum, Hall, Sear, Opland, Preslie Benning, Anna Samson, and Madison Dragt also recorded hits. 

Kline pitched all eight innings, recording seven strike-outs. 

The Titans took on Sioux Falls Washington on May 5 and fell, 6-0, complete results will be in next week’s paper. They will be at Sioux Falls Roosevelt on Thursday, May 7 and will be home against Mitchell on Monday, May 11. They travel out west on Thursday, May 14 when they take on Rapid City Central and Rapid City Stevens in double header action.