SALEM — Elk Point/Jefferson left no doubt in 2024.

One year after falling in the state championship, EPJ went undefeated in the Class B Senior Legion tournament and finished it off with a 5-2 win over Parkston on Tuesday. 

“We were ready, we were really ready,” said tournament MVP Keaton Gale. “Last year we beat Dells going into it, made it to the championship and we really struggled.”

This time around, EPJ was ready to perform on the biggest stage with the help of a key pitching performance by Brody Van Roekel, but it didn’t start without a few hiccups.

“That first inning we had some errors, but that happens when you’re facing a good baseball team,” said Van Roekel. “Ultimately you have to trust your defense.”

Van Roekel was given the start in the state championship despite being one of the younger players on the roster, which of course comes with some nerves.

“It was nerve-racking,” said Van Roekel. “When he told me I got the ball, I was super nervous, I just had butterflies.”

Van Roekel had already faced Parkston in the second round where he allowed five runs in three innings, but changed his approach heading into the championship against the same lineup.

“I didn’t throw much offspeed in that first game and I just didn’t feel very ready in that first one,” said Van Roekel. “I just felt off, my arm wasn’t there. But my arm felt great today, and I knew it was going to be a good day.”

Elk Point/Jefferson went down 1-0 early but struck for three runs in the bottom of the third with the help of a two-RBI double off the bat of Gale.

“When I go up to bat I’m just thinking simple,” said Gale, who also won the award for best hitter at this year’s tournament. “I’m thinking I’m going to get a line drive or a base hit, something simple and it ended up working.”

Parkston continued to crawl back scoring another run in the fourth but two more runs by EPJ would put the game out of reach, giving EPJ the victory and the State B championship.

“You can’t even explain it, it was just an amazing feeling,” said Van Roekel on the final out of the game. “Throwing that last pitch and trusting he can make that play, just an amazing feeling.”

Van Roekel threw a complete game, allowing just two runs on four hits and a walk in 96 pitches, but arguably the biggest difference maker in the championship was EPJ’s energy and emotion throughout.

“As you can tell they make a lot of noise, and they have a lot of fun,” said Elk Point/Jefferson coach John Gale. “We preach all the time that the team that has the most fun, wins most of the time.”