With their season on the line and one last shot to punch their ticket to state, the Wessington Springs Owls delivered when it mattered most.
Powered by a surge from the top of the lineup and a strong outing from Parker DeJean on the mound, the Owls defeated the Colome Chaos 8-2 on August 1 in the District 3B last-chance game, earning the final district berth to the Class B state amateur baseball tournament.
Cade Mohling went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, an RBI, and a stolen base, while Blake Larson was 3-for-4 with a walk, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Camden Jost also drove in two runs to back DeJean’s completegame victory, striking out nine and allowing only seven hits in the game.
“It’s been an interesting season,” said Owls Head Coach Joe Butterfield. “Same guys, same opponents but very different results. We had more than our share of ‘game of inches’ moments this year. The kind of stuff that doesn’t show up in the box score like bloopers, bad hops and walks. But we kept grinding.”
The Owls (7-12) scored six unanswered runs over the final five innings to put the game away.
Wessington Springs now heads to the state tournament in Brandon, where they’ll face District 6B champion Tabor at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9.
“Tabor’s a strong team but they’re all good at state,” Butterfield said. “We’re proud to be heading back and hope folks will make the trip to support these guys.”
Butterfield also took a moment to reflect on the broader success of the baseball program in Wessington Springs, crediting strong community support and fundraising efforts for recent improvements at the field.
“Colome did a nice job hosting districts this year, but last year when Springs hosted, the community really showed up,” he said. “That support carried over into fundraising efforts like the Springs Gala, which benefited both the Owls and the Little League programs.”
Among the completed and ongoing projects: a new batting cage, thanks to labor and material donations from Trevor Kennobbie and Tanner Cross (CK Fencing), along with a purchased building to house the pitching machine, also funded through community donations.
“We’ve seen how much thesefacilitiescanimprove player performance, even for the younger kids,” said Butterfield. “It’s an investment in the future of baseball here.”
Additional improvements included an updated infield and partial outfield sprinkler system to help keep the field in top shape. Even some unexpected issues like outfield banner eyelets ripping were solved with “farmer ingenuity,” courtesy of the Olinger boys and Blake Larson.
“There’s still room on the outfield fence for more banner ads,” Butterfield added. “Those funds are the lifeline for the Owls. The cost of balls, bats, and umpires add up fast.”
With their season extended and community backing behind them, the Owls now prepare for the state tournament, ready to make the most of another shot.