Post 320 12, Sturgis 6

Post 320's Kyle Gorsuch throws a pitch earlier in the season against Gillette. Gorsuch picked up the opening round win striking out 13 in his eight innings of work. (Photo Jake Nordbye/IDS)

Knowing that game one of any post-season tournament is as critical as the championship game, the Rapid city Post 320 Stars used an eight-run eighth inning on their way to a 12-6 victory over the Sturgis Titans in the opening game of the Region 3A Tournament on Wednesday.

“It’s big to get the first win of the tournament,” said Stars head coach Jim Brandt.  “Kyle (Gorsuch) did a nice job. He held them to nothing until we could get something in the first four or five innings.”

Both Sturgis and the Stars had their aces on the mound in what started off as a pitcher’s duel in the first five innings.

The Stars jumped ahead in the top of the fourth taking advantage of two leadoff walks by Sturgis’ Michael Baldwin.  A sacrifice bunt moved the runners over before designated hitter Hunter Lacroix pushed across the first run of the game on a groundout to the shortstop.

Sturgis’ JT Paris started off the bottom of the inning with a hard hit double and advanced to third on a Baldwin groundout.  With two outs, Paris tried to steal home on Gorsuch’s long windup, but a quick throw nailed Paris for the third out.

Post 320 pushed across three more runs in the top of the sixth, before Gorsuch surrendered his first run in the bottom of the inning.  The Titans got the bases loaded on two walks and a hit-by-pitch, but Gorsuch was able to work out of the jam surrendering a lone sacrifice fly to centerfield.

With Sturgis still in striking distance at 4-1, Post 320 exploded for eight runs in the top of the eighth inning.  With the bases loaded and one run already across for the Stars, first baseman Adam Carroll pounded a double into the right-center gap to empty the bases, giving 320 an 8-1 lead.

Sturgis did not go quietly facing the ten-run rule as they were able to push across four runs in the eighth on a tired Gorsuch.

“I was doing whatever I could to get the win and help the team out and move on to the next round,” said Gorsuch after the game.

Stars’ relief pitcher Trace Steckler threw the final inning, giving up one run before ending the game on two pop-flys.