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After posting a 36-17 record in their regular season, the Aberdeen Smittys moved into the State Tournament which was held at their home ball park this year.
The Smittys got off to a bad start in the post seasons, dropping their first game 5-0 against Sioux Falls West and facing an up hill battle through the rest of the double elimination tournament.
After fighting back into contention by defeating Yankton (5-4), Watertown (11-1), and Rapid City Post 320 (3-1), the team entered Sunday still alive in the contest.
After knocking off Rapid City Post 22 in the afternoon game on Sunday, the Smittys had a short turnaround before the final game of the tournament against Mitchell. Both teams had one loss at that point, making the Sunday night game a winner-take-all affair for the State Title. In a perfect night for baseball, the two teams played a great game, going scoreless through seven innings before Mitchell finally broke the dead-lock in the bottom of the eigth, knocking in a single run before the inning was retired. With their backs to the wall, the Smitty's managed to belt in two tough runs of their own in the ninth, and held a slim 2-1 lead with 3 outs between them and the championship. That lead would prove to be enough, as the defense held Mitchell scoreless in the ninth, with a ground out, a fly ball, and finally a strike-out (on the 8th pitch of the at bat), propelling Aberdeen to their first state championship in 40 years
Aberdeen Smittys Tourny Recap