S/M TRAPPERS START SEASON 3-3

After slow start, Trappers win April 14, 15 games by a combined score of 18-5

After starting the 2024 high school baseball season 1-3, Scotland/Menno turned in a pair of big wins this past Sunday and Monday, defeating Beresford/Alcester-Hudson 9-3 on April 14 before taking down Hanson 9-2 on April 15.

The Trappers are off until Sunday, April 21 when they travel to Elk Point to face Elk Point/Jefferson in a game that starts at 2 p.m. Scotland/Menno will then host Dakota Valley in Menno on Monday at 6 p.m., travel to Wagner next Wednesday and then host Freeman/Canistota/Marion in Scotland in a makeup game on March 26.

Here’s a recap of the Scotland/Menno’s first six games of the spring.

Trappers 3, Parker 4

The inaugural game of the season was an extra inning affair as S/M and Parker played to a 3-3 tie through seven innings in the season-opener Thursday, April 4 in Parker. The Pheasants won in the bottom of the eighth inning on an unearned run that came after two errors and then a passed ball. Both teams had more errors than hits; each team had two hits to S/M’s five errors and Parker’s four.

Parker Hochstein had a single and Bryce Sattler and double for the Trappers. Sattler was the starting pitcher for S/M and worked five innings, walking one and striking out seven in the loss. Hochstein and Izayah Ulmer both worked in relief.

Trappers 1, Centerville 0

One run in the top of the first inning that came on an error that scored Kory Keppen from second base was all that was needed for the Trappers to record a 1-0 win over Centerville in Centerville Friday, April 5 and even their record at 1-1.

Keppen was also the starting pitcher, giving up four hits and striking out nine over 6 2/3 innings to earn the win. Erick Buechler came in to get the last batter in the bottom of the seventh with runners on second and third. Bryce Sattler tripled for the Trappers while Keppen, Hunter Clark and Brayson Meng all collected singles.

Trappers 0, Canton 8

The C-Hawks of Canton held Scotland/Menno to just one hit — a single by Erick Buechler in the seventh — in an 8-0 home win Wednesday, April 10. Four of Canton’s eight runs were unearned as the Trappers committed four errors. Bryce Sattler took the loss, giving up four runs, striking out two and walking two over four innings pitched. Erick Buechler and Parker Hochstein also threw for Scotland/Menno.

Trappers 1, Vermillion 6

Six errors played a part in Scotland/Menno’s third-straight loss Friday, April 12 in Scotland as Vermillion took care of the Trappers 6-1. Bryce Sattler accounted for two of his team’s three hits — he went 2-for-3 including a double and reached base three times — with Parker Hochstein also reaching base on a single.

Vermillion led 4-0 after 2 ½ innings played and tacked on another run in the seventh in what was a 12-hit outing. Parker Hochstein and Riley Keppen each pitched three innings, with Parker Hochstein pitching the seventh. There were three strikeouts between them.

Trappers 9, B/A-H 3

Kory Keppen’s 12 strikouts over six innings helped Scotland/Menno bounce back from two tough losses and record  a 9-3 win over Beresford/Alcester-Hudson in Beresford this past Sunday, April 14. The Trappers used a five-run fifth inning to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 7-3 advantage and then tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning for good measure.

Scotland/Menno also took advantage of eight B/A-H errors.

Bryce Sattler singled twice, Erick Buechler had two RBI — one after he reached on an error and the other on a fielder’s choice — to lead the Trappers’ offensive attack while Keppen, Parker Hochstein, Jayce Walloch and Jarret Andreatta also singled.

Keppen gave up just two walks against his 12 Ks and Buechler walked one and struck out two in his one inning of work.

Trappers 9, Hanson 2

A five-run first inning against Hanson Monday, April 15 helped give momentum to the Trappers who never looked back, scoring a 9-2 win over Hanson in Menno. That first inning included a two-run single by Jayce Walloch, as well as two walks, two errors and a wild pitch by Hanson.

Scotland/Menno added another run in the second on another error and tacked on two more in the fourth and its ninth run of the game in the sixth.

In addition to Walloch’s 2-RBI single, Izayah Ulmer knocked in a pair of runs with two singles. And Bryce Sattler earned the complete-game win, throwing 91 pitches and 61 strikes over seven innings, walking two and striking out four.