Mitchell Kernels sweep Rapid City Central in home Sunday baseball doubleheader
May 9—Strong pitching and offensive outbursts carried the Mitchell Kernels to a home baseball doubleheader sweep Sunday at Cadwell Park.
Mitchell won both games by a score of 13-3, with the first game ending in six innings and the second ending in five innings, both shortened by the 10-run rule.
Throughout the doubleheader, the Kernels had 21 total hits but benefitted from the Cobblers' troubles on the mound, getting runners on base through 13 total walks and five hit batters and bringing them in to score on wild pitches and passed balls.
"We have to remember what makes us successful," Mitchell coach Luke Norden said. "We have to remind ourselves of that sometimes, and focus on doing those things rather than getting hung up on a mistake or when you struggle and question yourself. We just need to focus on what we do right and what we do well and keep working to get better."
In Game 1, Peyton Schroder kept the Cobblers in check, allowing single runs in the first, third and fourth innings. Schroder allowed six hits, struck out five batters and issued one walk in six innings of work.
"Peyton is a strike thrower and that's what he's really good at providing for us," Norden said. "He had a few longer at-bats today, but he just goes after that zone and that's why we like having him get those opportunities."
A key juncture came in the fourth inning, with the Cobblers getting one run after loading the bases with no outs and Schroder working around the jam, but RCC leading 3-1. In the bottom of the inning, Mitchell had the same situation and the Kernels turned it into a seven-run inning.
Seth Muth had three hits and three runs, while Joe Van Overschelde had two hits and two runs, along with two hits from Dylan Soulek and Parker Bollinger, with Bollinger adding two RBIs. Brock Sparks had two runs scored and Nick Lord drove in a pair of runs.
Mitchell scored three runs in the sixth inning to end the game. Trey Hullihen had two hits for the Cobblers (5-24 overall, 3-20 vs. South Dakota teams), while Aidan Mason took the loss on the mound.
In Game 2, the Kernels scored five runs in the first inning and added four more runs in the second and third innings. Jonah Schmidt had three hits and scored three runs, with Nick Lord driving in three runs on a pair of triples to right field. Brock Sparks, Carson Fahey and Joe Van Overschelde each scored two runs. Tate Ellwein also drove in two runs for the Kernels, who had nine hits and benefitted from three RCC errors.
Jackson Ebert earned the win in five innings of work, striking out six, allowing three hits and two walks, inducing most of his outs through strikeouts or groundouts. Kayden Jones was the losing pitcher for RCC, who got two RBIs from Hullihen in the first inning for an early 2-0 lead.
"Jackson, every time he goes out there and pitches, he gets better and he gets stronger," Norden said. "He really did a good job for us today."
Mitchell (13-9) hosts Sioux Falls Washington in a doubleheader on Tuesday, two of the final six games the Kernels play before the regular season ends on May 16. Mitchell is also at Yankton for a doubleheader on May 14 and host Rapid City Stevens on May 16.
"This has been one of the fastest spring seasons I can remember," Norden said. "I don't know why that is. We've only had one game canceled, with a road game at O'Gorman. We know we've got some important games coming up and we'll try to make sure we're playing our best ball in a few weeks."
