Dakota Valley hands Dell Rapids first loss in Class B tourney

REDFIELD — Dakota Valley exploded for 11 runs in two innings to hand previously unbeaten Dell Rapids a 12-2 loss in the semifinals of the Class B State American Legion Tournament on Monday.
Also Monday, McCook/Miner scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to edge Spearfish 8-7.
With the win Monday, Dakota Valley will earn a bye and will face the winner of a 1 p.m. game today between Dell Rapids and McCook/Miner in the championship game, which will follow the early game.
Dell Rapids became the lone undefeated team remaining in the tournament on Sunday, with a 6-3 victory against Spearfish.
Dell Rapids opened the scoring with a run in the first inning, but Spearfish, which went 2-0 to start the tournament answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning.
The score remained 2-1 until the third inning, when Dell Rapids pulled even with a run.
Dell Rapids then regained the advantage with four runs in the fourth inning to build a 6-2 lead.

Spearfish put its final run on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 6-3.
Both teams then went scoreless the final three innings.
McCook/Miner needed just five innings to get past Big Stone City in an elimination game on Sunday.
After scoring two runs in the first inning, McCook/Miner posted four runs in each of the second and third innings and another run in the fourth inning to build an 11-0 lead.
Big Stone City managed its lone run in the bottom of the fourth inning, before McCook/Miner tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning.
In the other elimination game Sunday, Dakota Valley recorded an 8-2 victory against Tabor.
With a pair of runs in the opening inning and another in the second inning, Dakota Valley built a 3-0 advantage. Tabor put its first run on the board in the bottom of the third inning to make it 3-1.
Both teams went scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings before Dakota Valley took command with a four-run sixth inning to make it 7-2.
Tabor scored its final run in the sixth inning and Dakota Valley followed with a run in the top of the seventh to make the final score 8-2.
Dakota Valley outhit Tabor 16-3 in the game.

PHOTOS BY PARRY STERNER/REDFIELD PRESS
The Redfield American Legion baseball team poses for a photo before participating in the opening ceremonies of the Class B State Tournament, which started Friday in Redfield.

Next, the participating teams line the field during the opening ceremonies at the Class B State American Legion Baseball Tournament on Friday in Redfield.