Cooper Bowman had seven RBI and a grand slam in two games Monday as Rapid City Post 22 got two wins to advance to the finals of the Gopher Classic in the Twin Cities. The Hardhats beat Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin 16-7 and Creighton Prep, Nebraska 7-4.
Fargo, North Dakota forfeited the semifinals game against Post 22 that was scheduled for 8 a.m. MDT, putting the Hardhats into the title game against the winner of the Excelsior, Minnesota vs. Omaha Millard West, Nebraska game that morning.
Bowman had five RBI in the first game and two in the second game.
The Hardhats started the first game against Chippewa Falls with three runs in the top of the first inning but Chippewa Falls responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning and two in the second to take a 5-3 lead.
Post 22 scored four runs in the fourth, four in the fifth and three in the sixth to take a 14-5 lead.
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Chippewa Falls scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth, and Post 22 put the game away with two in the seventh.
In addition to Bowman's grand slam, Mason Messinger had a triple while Jack Sorensen and Alex Weaver both had doubles. Messinger had three RBI, Ryan Schmidt had two and Weaver had one.
Chippewa Falls committed four errors while Post 22 had one.
Drew Messer got the win for Post 22 by going 3 2/3 innings and allowing two hits, five earned runs, two strikeouts while walking eight. Holden Jackson came in and went 1 1/3 innings while not giving up a hit or run, walking one and striking out one. Connor King went two innings and allowed four hits, one earned run, two walks and one strikeout.
In the second game Post 22 got three runs in the bottom of the first, while Creighton scored one run in the second and three in third to take the lead, but from there the bats would go quiet.
Meanwhile the Hardhats scored two runs in the fifth and sixth to take the lead and advance to the finals.
Zach Sumption had three RBI, Bowman had two and Sorensen had one. Sorensen also had a double. Tad Scherbenske got the win by going six innings, giving up eight hits, four earned runs and two walks. Bowman came in and shut the door by pitching a scoreless seventh where he struck out three and walked one.
Hub City walks-off as winners over Spearfish
The Hub City Hotshots topped the Spearfish Sasquatch 7-6 on a triple from Anthony Guzman scored Ty Denzer in the bottom of the ninth.
Hub City, 19-26, got the scoring started with two runs in the bottom of the first, while Spearfish, 17-25, got three runs in the second to take the lead. The Hotshots took the lead back in the third with two runs to make it 4-3.
The Sasquatch scored a run in the fifth and the sixth to take the lead back, but it only lasted until the bottom of the sixth when Hub City tied the score. Both teams scored a run in the seventh to tie the game at six before Guzman's triple ended the game in the ninth.
Brady Mello got the win for the Hotshots by going six innings and giving up eight hits, five runs, five strikeouts and two walks. Luke DeGrammont got the loss for the Sasquatch after going 5 1/3 innings where he allowed seven hits, five earned runs, four walks and three strikeouts.
The Sasquatch and the Hotshots face-off with each other tonight at 6:35 p.m.