Govs win 14 straight, state championship
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The Pierre Govs baseball team won 14 straight games to secure their first-ever state championship title on Saturday in Sioux Falls.
The Govs beat Brandon Valley 2-0 earlier in the day to secure their semifinal win, their first semifinal appearance since 2018. Pierre followed up their win with another one over Harrisburg that afternoon, ending the championship game 4-2.
The Govs started their season on shaky ground, going 0-5 before turning things around in Brookings. From then on, the Govs won game after game to secure the championship.
During the semifinal game, starting pitcher Lincoln Kienholz closed out his Pierre baseball career on a high note, going six and two-thirds innings, allowing five hits and earning nine strikeouts, including his final batter. Sophomore JJ Bucholz closed the game with a single pitch for the final out after Brandon Valley's fly-out to Jett Zabel at first base. Kienholz won the tournament's MVP award.
Following the semifinal, Pierre returned to the field in Sioux Falls to play Harrisburg.
Harrisburg drew first blood in the top of the third with a two-out RBI single. But Pierre responded in the bottom half to regain the momentum that took them to the title-ending finish.
Kienholz stole second with one out on the board to put himself in scoring position. The Govs put runners on the corners following a single from Brecken Krueger. Krueger moved into scoring position following a pitch in the dirt to Jack Merkwan.
With only one down still, Merkwan hit a hard shot to right field for a two-run RBI that put the Govs on the board while also taking a 2-1 lead. Merkwan followed up by stealing second base.
With Merkwan on second, Zabel hit a grounder up the middle for an RBI single, giving Pierre the 3-1 lead before the inning closed out.
Harrisburg pushed back in the fifth inning with a lead-off double followed by an RBI single, narrowing Pierre's lead to 3-2. Bucholz made his way to the mound to relieve Jackson Edman, closing the inning with Harrisburg stranding one runner on the bases.
Pierre canceled Harrisburg's run in the bottom half of the inning after Jonathan Lyons took one in the shoulder from the mound with loaded bases. But Pierre couldn't expand on the lead after Harrisburg closed the inning, stranding three Govs on the bases.
Pierre held their ground through to the seventh inning.
With the Govs only three outs away from their first state title, Harrisburg opened the final inning with a lead-off infield single. Following two fly-outs, Harrisburg found themselves with a bit of hope as a single put runners on first and second. But a flyball to left field would close out the game, giving Pierre the 4-2 win.
The Capital Journal will have more coverage with interviews in the Wednesday sports section.
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Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 1:02 am