Watertown Post 17 Tops Rocky Mountain 11-4, Finishes 4-1 at Creighton Prep Tournament
- Steve Jurrens
- Jun 21
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – PAPILLION, Neb. - Backed by an explosive 15-hit offensive attack, Watertown Post 17 closed out the Creighton Prep Tournament in dominant fashion, securing an 11-4 victory over the Rocky Mountain Lobos on the tournament’s final day.
With the victory, the Arrows wrap up tournament play with a 4-1 record, finishing seventh out of 28 teams. According to Watertown Post 17 Coach Ryan Neale, this marks the first time the program has secured a winning record in the history of the Omaha-based tournament.
“Our only loss came against Lincoln East, one of the top teams in the Midwest, and a team that advanced to the Final Four of the tournament,” Neale said. “To finish seventh out of 28 teams in Omaha is something our players should be proud of.”
Game Highlights
· Offensive Surge: Jonathan Lake paced the Arrows at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a team-high three RBIs. Cole Hansen, Jaxon Falak, Markus Pitkin, and Kye Paulson also contributed heavily, recording two hits apiece in the multi-hit barrage.
· Pitching Performance: Kasen Jensen took the mound to start, allowing just two runs on four hits over three innings. Cain Everson earned the win in relief, matching Jensen’s output by yielding two runs on three hits across three frames. Pitkin then took over to toss the final inning and slam the door on the Lobos.
· Opponent Struggles: Rocky Mountain was led offensively by JJ Johnson and Isaiah Pope, who collected two hits each. On the mound, Lobos starter Ty Frank took the loss, surrendering seven runs on eight hits and four walks over 3 2/3 innings.
A Complete Team Effort
Coach Neale credited both the offense and defense for carrying the load throughout the successful weekend, while specifically praising the depth and resilience of his pitching staff.
“Kooper [Heiser], Clem [Jackson McClemens], and Hunter [Halajian] all gave us quality starts on the mound and put us in position to win baseball games,” Neale noted regarding the team’s overall tournament performance. “Our bullpen was also outstanding, allowing us to stay in games, battle back when we fell behind, and come away with a couple of comeback victories.”
Moving forward, Neale emphasized the importance of maintaining the competitive edge that fueled their historic weekend.
“The biggest thing for us is continuing to play with the mindset that every game matters and every pitch matters,” Neale said. “Baseball isn’t a sport where you can simply flip a switch and decide it’s go time. When we play with the right mentality and maintain our rhythm, we can be a very good baseball team.”
What’s Next
Watertown improves to 28-16 overall and 13-8 in their division. The Arrows will look to keep their momentum rolling on the road as they travel to Dell Rapids for a doubleheader on June 23.
