The Spartans had a rough week, suffering three losses to Spearfish Post 164 Varsity, WESTCO Zephyr’s and Post 135 Adams Bank and Trust 18U.
The Spartans took their first loss of the week on July 5, where they took on Spearfish in a close match. The game was tied at five with Spearfish batting in the top of the sixth, where Spearfish’s Noah Mollman singled and scored one run, handing the Spartans a 6-5 defeat, despite being out hit by the Spartans nine to seven. Brantz Halouska was the losing pitcher for Alliance. Halouska went four and two-thirds innings, allowing two runs on four hits, where he struck out four and walked none. Caeson Clarke started the game pitching for the Spartans, where he threw for two and a third innings. Clarke surrendered four runs, three hits and struck out three. The Spartans had nine hits, where Landen Crowe, Halouska, and Clarke all contributed multiple hits collecting two each to lead the Spartans in hits.
The Spartans took their next loss to the WESTCO Zephyrs on July 6, where the Zephyrs got an early lead on the Spartans. The Spartans could not manage to catch them as WESTCO ran away with the game with a 6-2 win over the Spartans. Nick Wright took the loss for the Spartans, where he allowed six hits and five runs over five and a third innings. Wright struck out four and walked one. Clarke went two for four at the plate to lead Alliance in hits.
The Spartans’ final game of the week was on July 9, where they were handed their final loss for the week. Post 135 won with a big lead of Spartans 2, Post 135 10. Spartan Mario Garza made a statement early in the first inning, where he doubled on a 2-0 count and scored one run.
Post 135 pulled away for good with three runs in the third inning. Crowe threw for three innings allowing nine hits and six runs over three innings, striking out two. Halouska relieved Crowe out of the bullpen throwing three innings, where he allowed seven hits four runs, striking out three. Ashton Ross led the Spartans in hits with two hits in four at bats.