Dom Boerger Pitches 95 Strikes in State Tourney 

The Milbank Firechiefs, now 16-2, face Dell Rapids PBR  tonight, August 13, in the second round of South Dakota’s 92nd State B Amateur Baseball Tournament. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. at Cadwell Park in Mitchell. The Firechiefs advanced to the second round by defeating  the Hartford-Humboldt Gamecocks 5 – 2 on Saturday, August 10. PBR defeated Elkton 5-3. Both games were played at Cadwell Park.

Pitching for MIlbank, Dom Boerger went the distance for the win. He shut out the Gamecocks until the eighth by pounding out 95 strikes – mostly with his fastball. Boerger fanned 15 batters and allowed just seven hits, two runs, and two walks.

The Firechiefs’ offense rallied behind him with 13 hits – 11 of them in the first five innings with a string of batters coming through in the clutch.  Merik Junker stacked up three hits. Mitch Quade recorded two hits, a double, and three walks.  Brady Krause drove in twin runs– an RBI-single in the first frame, followed by an RBI-sacrifice fly in the third. Kellen Hoeke drove in a run in the fourth on a single. Brent Griffith,  a Clark player on loan to the Chiefs,  supplied  two hits and added two runs. Taylor Boerger drove in a run on a single in the eighth.

The Gamecocks starting pitcher, Cole Barthel, took the loss for Hartford-Humboldt. Carver Hultgren finished up with four innings of relief. Hultgren allowed five hits and two runs. Cameron Quigley posted two hits for the Gamecocks. Jonah Rechtenbaugh drove in a run on one hit. Broc Haldeman sent Ryan Healy home with a single to center in the eighth.

The 2024 State B Tournament will continue with the quarterfinal round on Thursday, August 15 and Friday, August 16. The semi finals take place on Saturday, August 17. The championship game is tentatively scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 18.

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