Micah Warrington contributed to this report
WATERTOWN, S.D. — The Watertown Arrows secured a momentum-building doubleheader sweep of Bishop O’Gorman on Friday night at Watertown Stadium, using a late-inning rally in the opener and a first-inning grand slam in the nightcap to overpower the Knights.
Game 1: Watertown 5, O’Gorman 3
Jonathan Lake broke a seventh-inning tie with an RBI single as Watertown fought off a Bishop O’Gorman rally to take the first game of the twin bill, 5-3.
Lake started the scoring early with a two-run double in the first inning. After Markus Pitkin extended the lead to 3-0 with an RBI single in the third, O’Gorman began to climb back, led by a solo home run from Isaac Tobin in the sixth.
Tied at three heading into the bottom of the seventh, Lake delivered the go-ahead RBI single, and Carter Buisker followed with a base hit to provide an insurance run. Lake finished the night 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Jaxon Falak and Buisker also recorded two hits apiece.
Hunter Halajian provided a strong start for the Arrows, striking out seven and allowing three runs on three hits over six innings. Jackson McClemans earned the win in relief.
“Hunter was lights out, and he’s turning into a very quiet surprise,” Watertown coach Ryan Neale said. “Just watching him from last year through the offseason, there are a lot of plus things. He’s going to be a diamond in the rough.”
Bennett Duncan took the mound for O’Gorman, striking out nine and allowing three runs in five innings of work.
Game 2: Watertown 12, O’Gorman 2 (5 Innings)
The Arrows wasted no time in the second game, fueled by a first-inning grand slam from Tripp Jorgenson. The offensive outburst led to a 12-2 victory shortened to five innings by the ten-run rule.
“Tripp’s got unbelievable bat speed,” Neale said. “He hits the ball with a very high angle, but he got all of that one. That’s just a tone setter.”
Watertown totaled 10 hits in the win, with Falak, Lake, and Pitkin each recording two hits. McClemans earned his second win of the night on the hill, striking out six and allowing two runs over 4 2/3 innings.
Tobin led the Knights with an RBI, while Alex McKinney, Paxton Sohn, and Talec Schlimgen added hits. Sohn took the loss for O’Gorman.
Up Next
The sweep moves Watertown to 9-7 on the season. Neale noted that the performance against the Knights’ top pitchers was a significant confidence boost for his squad.
“We saw their best two arms tonight,” Neale said. “The way we stung the ball around the park—minimizing strikeouts and having good approaches with two strikes—it was a very positive night offensively.”
Watertown concludes the regular season Saturday at home against Sioux Falls Washington. The doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on Post 17 TV.
WTNSports.com 