Renner defeated Rapid City Post 22 6-4 on Tuesday night to win their first ever state legion baseball championship.
Tuesday’s title game in Mitchell, SD was originally suppose to start in the early afternoon, but a four hour rain delay pushed back the start time. Renner Post 307 needed just one win, where as Post 22 would have had to win two games over the Royals to claim the state championship.
The game remained scoreless through the first three innings of play. In the bottom of the 4th, Renner put up six runs, which included a bases clearing double by Mason Runia.
Post 22 would battle back, but couldn’t erase the entire deficit as Renner claimed the State ‘A’ Championship.
In an interview with KDLT Sports in Sioux Falls, Post 307 coach Jack Van Leur said overall both teams played well.
“Not too many mistakes in the field and it’s all you can ask for out of a state championship,” explained Van Leur. “Both teams played really hard and had some great at-bats and we just made one more swing than they did.”
The game had that David and Goliath feel – mostly because of how decorated the Rapid City legacy is compared to Renner. Throughout their history, the Post 22 Hardhats have won a total of 42 state championships, including a National Championship in 1993.
For Renner, the next stop is the Central Plains Regional tournament, which, because of a two-year agreement, will take place in Sioux Falls August 7-11.
The South Dakota State ‘B’ Legion tournament will begin on Friday in Lennox with the championship game scheduled for Tuesday August 6th.
