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Harrisburg blanks O’Gorman in Class A semifinals
Harrisburg’s Maddux Scherer connects for a base hit during the Tigers Class A semifinal game against Sioux Falls O’Gorman Saturday at the Birdcage in Sioux Falls.
(Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

Harrisburg blanks O’Gorman in Class A semifinals

May 25, 2024
  

By Jon Akre

605 Sports

SIOUX FALLS — Eli Kokenge tossed 13 strikeouts as the No. 1 Harrisburg Tigers blanked the Knights and advanced to the Class A state championship.

Kokenge was dominant in the win for Harrisburg, throwing a complete game shutout allowing just three hits and two walks to shutout No. 4 O’Gorman.

“We have all the faith in the world when he’s up there,” said Harrisburg head coach Jake Adams. “It’s kind of a relief for me to be able to sit back and not worry about him struggling out there.”

The biggest key to the shutout was limiting O’Gorman’s top two hitters, Sully Schlimgen and Hunter Den Boer, who were finalists for the Class A player of the year award, with Den Boer taking the title.

“You definitely have to be careful with them, careful with what you throw at them and where you throw it,” Kokenge said. “So a lot of offspeed to them and a lot of pitches that make them chase and are out of the zone. But that’s just how you have to get good hitters out.”

In six appearances against Kokenge, Schlimgen and Den Boer went 0-for-6 with three strikeouts.

From the very first pitch Sioux Falls Stadium poured from overhead showers, but Kokenge says the weather wasn’t a factor in his performance.

“I didn’t really notice it, honestly, that much,” Kokenge said. “I just go out there and pitch. When you’re so focused on the game and the adrenaline is running you don't really pay attention to that stuff.”

Harrisburg scored all seven runs in the first three innings, scoring two in the second and erupting for five in the third.

With the seven run lead, Kokenge was able to calm the nerves and do what he does best.

“Having that cushion definitely helps,” Kokenge said. “Just gives me a little more confidence and lets me go out there and do my thing.” 

The first runs of the game came off the bat of Palmer Boyd, roping a two-out double to the left field wall that drove in two runs.

In the next inning, the Tigers loaded the bases and scored another run with a hit-by-pitch by Tiegan Munce.

Three pitches later, the Tigers blew the game wide open. Carter Gronseth shot the baseball down the right field line, scoring three runs on a one-out triple.

Gronseth scored the final run as Coen Cook drove him in on a ground out.

“I was really happy to see our sticks come alive there,” Adams said. “We’ve been swinging it well all year but coming up in those big situations where Gronseth got that RBI-triple and Palmer Boyd, same thing with him.”

Madduz Sherer led the Tigers in hits with two, while Noah Boschee added one hit and reached base another time with a hit-by-pitch.

For O’Gorman, Jackson Bjorkman took the loss on the mound, surrendering three hits, three walks, and six runs in 2.1 innings pitched.

Jake Wheeler, Charlie Hueners, and Trenton Fischer each tallied hits in the loss.

Harrisburg advances to the state championship where they hope to avenge last year’s 4-2 loss in the championship against the Pierre Governors.

“We just need to stay relaxed, keep doing what we’ve been doing all year,” Adams said. “As long as we put up runs, we should get the job done. Doing the little things right, minimizing errors on defense, and having another great pitching outing and I think we can get the job done.”

 

Sioux Falls Lincoln 10, Brandon Valley 4

SIOUX FALLS — Sioux Falls Lincoln hit home runs in back-to-back innings as the Patriots dominated in the State A semifinals,10-4, over Brandon Valley.

In the early going Brandon Valley had the Patriots on the ropes, tying the game at 2-2 after three innings, and forcing the Patriots to make an early pitching change.

In a tie game with a trip to the state championship on the line, Lincoln called on sophomore Colin Lunders to provide crucial innings on the mound.

“[Sawyer] Mindt was going to be our dude, but kind of had a tough start,” said Sioux Falls Lincoln head coach Jordan Johnson. “So we went with Colin, and what a job he did. Lunders came in and pitched well, he’s only thrown a few innings all year for us.”

Momentum looked to be swinging towards the Lynx until the home half of the fourth when Ryan Hirsch blasted a two-out grand slam over the left field fence. 

“We were kind of struggling,” Johnson said. “But we just rallied. Got a couple walks in a two-out rally, and Hirsch put the finishing touches on it. You can’t make it up, it’s just unreal.”

But that was just the start of the scoring outburst for Lincoln. The very next inning, a lead-off walk followed by a single setup yet another home run, a three-run bomb by Kooper Perry.

Perry batted 2-for-3 with a walk and five RBIs in the victory.

A passed ball later in the inning gave the Patriots their largest lead of the game at 10-2 through five innings.

Lunders threw yet another shutout inning in the sixth but ran out of gas to start the seventh, ending his crucial outing with four innings pitched, allowing five hits, five walks, and just two runs given up, earning the victory on the bump.

“Lunders is a dude, and he’s been a dude,” said coach Johnson. “He started for us last year as a freshman and he wanted the ball, and when he gives you that look you just let him go.”

Ethan Olson came on to close out the win for the Patriots, recording the final three outs in just six pitches.

Other contributors on offense for the Patriots include Sawyer Tolk batting 2-for-3 with a walk and Braydon Olson adding a hit as well.

For Brandon Valley, Eric Roberts took the loss on the mound, allowing four hits, five walks, and six earned runs in 3.2 innings pitched.

Braydon Knutson highlighted the Lynx offense with a 3-hit performance, while Jackson Adams and Brayden Knutson tallied two hits apiece in the loss.

The Class A State championship Saturday night features the top two ranked teams in No. 1 Harrisburg and No. 2 Sioux Falls Lincoln, gametime is set for 6:35 p.m.

“We’ve got to regroup and get our energy back, cause we know what we’re up against,” coach Johnson said. “We know we’re right there with them, we can compete. We got to have good pitching, we got to have timely hits, but anything can happen in these games.”