PIERRE, S.D. — Hunter Halajian threw a complete-game shutout to lead Watertown to a 2-0 victory over Pierre in Game 2 of the Class A Super Regionals. The win avenged a July 6 doubleheader sweep by Pierre at Watertown Stadium and punched Post 17’s ticket to the State American Legion Tournament for the third consecutive year.
Halajian struck out six and scattered five hits over seven innings to seal the victory.
Watertown’s offense backed up its starter with a seven-hit afternoon, led by Markus Pitkin and Sam Olson, who each posted multi-hit games. Pitkin finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, driving in both of Watertown’s runs. Carter Buisker and Kye Paulson added one hit apiece.
Watertown jumped on the board early in the top of the first inning when Pitkin singled to score Cole Hansen. Pitkin delivered again in the sixth with an RBI triple to bring home Buisker and double the lead.
Pierre managed five hits, led by Hudson Stoeser’s 2-for-3 day at the plate. Will Danburg took the loss on the mound for Pierre, allowing two runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Head Coach Ryan Neale praised his team’s pitching and error-free defense throughout the series.
“Clem (Jackson McClemans) and Hunter (Halajian) were outstanding over the past two days,” Neale said. “Both threw complete games, limited the free passes, attacked the strike zone, and trusted our defense to make plays behind them. When we’re playing our best baseball, our defense is one of our biggest strengths, and that was on full display with two error-free games.”
Neale also highlighted the team’s balanced offensive production.
“We put together quality at-bats throughout the series and did enough to come away with two wins,” he said. “What I really like about this group is its balance. We don’t rely on just one or two players. We had different guys step up in key situations, deliver big hits, and pick each other up throughout the weekend.”
Post 17, which hosted the state tournament last season, now turns its focus toward the upcoming tournament in Rapid City.
“First and foremost, anytime you earn a trip to the State Tournament, it’s something to be proud of because it’s never easy to get there,” Neale said. “We’ll head to Rapid City with confidence, build off the momentum from our high school state tournament run, and see what we can accomplish together.”
The official state tournament bracket will be released Thursday night following the conclusion of regional play across South Dakota.
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