(June 14) Before more than 16-hundred opening night fans at Rapid City, the hometown Chiefs downed Sioux Falls 2-1 in 11 innings. Lance Tobert fanned 15 before he gave way to Bill Matusz in the final frame. Jim Barfield knocked in the winner with a double.
xxx and xxx
Tobert, Matusz (W) (11) and xxx
(June 14) Pierre Cowboys notched a win in their home opener downing Sturgis 5-4. Bobby Bragan had a three-run homer for the losers.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(June 14) The 1964 pennant winners, the Winner Pheasants kicked off the new season with a 19-6 thrashing of Valentine. Larry Tipton crushed a grand slam homer to lead the attack. Al Choate had a seven-hitter for the win.
xxx and xxx
Choate (W) and xxx
(June 15) The home fans were delighted as Chuck Dobson fired a five-hit shutout as the Hearts dumped Winner 6-0 at Valentine. Dobson fanned 16 before an opening-night crowd of 13-hundred,
xxx and xxx
Dobson (W) and xxx
(June 16) Buddy Bovender's two-run single in the 7th inning proved to be the difference as Pierre Cowboys shaded Winner 3-2 at Pierre. Winner had taken the early lead with runs in the 1st and 2nd frames on singles by John Biedenbach and Mickey VanDeHey. Rich Shibley singled in the 5th to knock in the first Pierre marker. Kerby Ellis picked up the win. VandeHey suffered the moss.
VanDeHey (L), Beatty (7) and xxx
Ellis (W), Tatum (7), Durant (8) and French, Bastian (1)
(June 16) Dennis Della Piana drove in five runs with two triples and a single to hand Sioux Falls its first win of the season, 12-6 at Sturgis. The Packers erupted for five runs in the 1st with just one hit, Della Piana's single. Errors, wild pitches and a bases-loaded balk contributed to the fireworks. Shaun Fitzmaurice belted a three-run homer for Sturgis. Jim Nichols was the winner, Ernie Abels took the loss.
Nichols (W), Wright (6) and Payne
Abels (L), Barnes (3), Snow (4) and Sizemore
Pierre 2-1
Rapid City 1-0
Sioux Falls 1-1
Valentine 1-1
Winner 1-2
Sturgis 0-2
(June 17) Jim McAndrew, with a no-hitter through six innings, pitched into the 8th to lead Rapid City to a 7-4 victory over Valentine. Reliever Jim Matusz combined with McAndrew on a four-hitter. Chet Bergalowski and Joe Moock each drove in two runs for the Chiefs. Ron Lea went the route in taking the loss. The game was played at Rapid City after a twister hit the Hearts' ballpark Tuesday.
Lea (L) and Dyer
McAndrew (W), Matusz (8) and Bergalowski
(June 17) Outfield Carl Morton took a turn on the mound Wednesday and pitched a four-hitter as Winner topped Pierre 8-3. All the damage against him came in the 6th inning when the Cowboys scored their three tallies on one hit and two errors. George Kalafatis paced the attack with four hits, including a triple and two doubles. John Biedenbach knocked in a pair. Bill Patrick was the loser on the hill for Pierre.
Patrick (L), Phipps (6) and Bastian
Morton (W) and Tipton
(June 18) In an exciting finish to their home opener, Sioux Falls Packers scored twice in the bottom of the 10th inning to take a 2-1 decision from Rapid City Chiefs. A crowd of more than 13-hundred watched the Packers use four singles and a sacrifice to overcome a 1-0 deficit. First baseman Jan Kleinman singled to drive in Clyde Wright with the winner. George Dugan and Bob Hergenrader had fired scoreless ball through the first seven innings. Adrian Zabala pitched the final three frames for the Packers to pick up the win. Hergenrader took the defeat.
Hergenrader (L), Lowe (10) and Bennett
Dugan, Zabala (W) (8) and Payne
(June 18) Sturgis Titans had just three hits but turned them into four runs in shading Pierre 4-3 at Sturgis. Terry Christman's 4th inning homer was the big blow for the winners. Ernie Abels allowed ten hits in going the distance for the win. He fanned 13. Tim Thompson was the hard-luck loser. Centre fielder Shaun Fitzmaurice saved the game for the Titans with a superb throw to cut down Bob Maniere at the plate in the 8th inning.
Thompson (L) and Bastian
Abels (W) and Cameron
(June 19) Rapid City Chiefs exploded for five home runs and went on to demolish the Sioux Falls Packers 14-1 Friday. Tom Keyes belted a pair of homers to drive in five runs. Jim Fairey bashed the first pitch of the game over the fence and Stirling Coward and Jim Barfield also added long blows. The Packers averted a shutout when Jim Heirigs homered in the 9th. Lance Tobert shutout the Packers on two hits over seven innings before turning over mound duties to Dean Debuhr. Starter Ed Maras was saddled with the loss.
Tobert (W), Debuhr (8) and Bennett, Bergalowski (8)
Maras (L), VanBergen (2), Sutton (3), Wright (6), Nichols (8) and Payne, Brown (7)
(June 19) Pitcher Mickey VanDeHey clouted a two-run homer in the 11th inning to give Winner an 11-9 triumph over Valentine. George Kalafatis drove in three runs for the Pheasants with a homer, triple and double. Don Sessions also had a homer for Winner while Ron Lea connected for the Hearts.
Shackelford, Closter (L) (3) and Dyer
Choate, Beatty (7), VanDeHey (W) and Tipton
(June 19) Dick Cameron's grand slam homer in the second inning highlighted a six-run inning as Sturgis Titans downed Pierre 11-7. Lefty Dick Joyce scattered 12 hits, while fanning a dozen, to take the win. Buddy Bovender had four hits and drove in four for the Chiefs.
Durant (L), Phipps, Eggart and Bastian
Joyce (W) and Cameron
(June 23) Joe Barnes fired a six-hitter, with 11 strikeouts, to lead Sturgis to a 6-2 win over the Packers at Sioux Falls. Jeff Allen's homer and a triple and single by Shaun Fitzmaurice paced the Titans' attack. Dick Wieczezak added two safeties. Jim Nichols, who walked nine in seven innings, took the loss.
Barnes (W) and Bragan
Nichols (L), Zabala (8) and Payne
(June 23) Al Closter tossed a five-hit shutout to give Valentine a 4-0 victory over league-leading Rapid City. Hearts broke a scoreless tie in the 8th inning on a single by Lance Cobb and Alan Koonce's double. Valentine added three in the 9th when losing pitcher Bill Matusz twice walked batters with the bases loaded. Dale Mitchell singled to score another.
Closter (W) and Suarez
Hergenrader, Matusz (L) (8), Lowe (9) and Bergalowski, Bennett (8)
(June 23) Mickey VanDeHey's bases-loaded triple in the 8th inning proved to be the big blow as Winner topped Pierre 10-9. Pheasants took an early lead with three in the top of the 1st. Cowboys roared back with four in their half of the opening frame as Tom Chapman allowed five bases on balls. Don Sessions bashed a three-run homer in the 2nd to put Winner up, 6-4. Pierre rebounded with three in the 5th as Buddy Bolder and Jim Bastian each tripled.
Chapman, Overleski (W) (2) and Rettenmund
T Thompson (L) and Bastian
Rapid City 5-2
Sturgis 4-3
Sioux Falls 3-3
Winner 4-4
Pierre 3-5
Valentine 2-4
(June 24) The hometown Pheasants outlasted Pierre in a slugfest at Winner taking a 14-12 decision. Merv Rettenmund led the offense with a three-run homer and a pair of doubles. George Kalafatis belted a three-run homer in the 6th. Dick Prindle had a homer for the Cowboys and Ron Wojciak had three hits.
Durant, Phipps (5), Eggart (6) and Wojciak
Choate, Simonoff (4), Blateric (6) and Rettenmund
(June 24) In another high-scoring affair, Sturgis took advantage of two Packers' errors in the 11th inning to notch a 12-10 victory over Sioux Falls. Shaun Fitzmaurice knocked in five runs with a pair of homers. Bobby Bragan and Dick Kratz also had four-baggers. Packers, who out-hit the Titans 12 to 8, made eight errors. They forced extra innings with three runs in the bottom of the 9th. Dick Wieczezak put Sturgis ahead in the 11th with a steal of home. Fred Prifty scored another with a sacrifice fly.
Joyce, Clark (8), Miles (W) (9) and Bragan
Dugan, Sutton (L) (7) and Payne
(June 24) Lew Marone was the story for Valentine in the Hearts 21-5 trouncing of Rapid City. Marone went the route on the hill with a nine-hitter for the win and drove in seven runs with five hits at the plate. He had a homer, two doubles and two singles. Earl Lombardo knocked in six with a three-run homer and a bases-loaded triple. Dale Mitchell added solo homer for the Hearts while Gary Moore connected for a two-run blast for the Chiefs.
Marone (W) and Suarez
Tobert (L), Barkley (2), Lowe (2) and Bennett
(June 25) The hometown Hearts exploded for six runs in the 7th inning to edge Sioux Falls 10-9. Valentine plated three of the runs on bases-loaded walks. Dale Mitchell knocked in a pair with a single. Earlier, Ken Suarez belted a two-run homer for the winners while Jim Adams had a three-run shot for the Packers.
Zabala, Maras (7), Pendley (8) and Payne
Lea, Dobson (5), Closter (7) and Suarez
(June 25) Rapid City broke a scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the 3rd inning, on a Stirling Coward double and Chet Bergalowski single, but were blanked the rest of the way as the Chiefs went down to a 5-2 defeat to Pierre Cowboys. Kerby Ellis went the distance holding the Chiefs to eight hits. Buddy Bovender tripled and scored on Ev Larken's single for Pierre's first run in the 4th. The Cowboys notched a pair in the 5th as Rich Sibley singled and Ron Wojciak added a triple. Bovender drove in another, with a single, in the 7th. Jim McAndrew took the loss.
McAndrew (L), Moore (6) and Bennett
Ellis (W) and Wojciak
(June 25) In a wild one at Winner, Sturgis whipped the Pheasants 21-10 pounding out 16 hits and taking advantage of 15 bases on balls and five errors. Titans' Ernie Abel, who gave up 12 hits in going the route for the win, struck out 16 batters. Dick Cameron and Fred Prifty punched out homers for the winners. George Kalafatis had a four-bagger for Winner.
Abels (W) and Cameron
Morton (L), Borne (3), Stanforth (6), VanDeHey (9) and Tipton, Rettenmund
(June 26) Sioux Falls whipped the injury-plagued Valentine Hearts 10-4 as the home squad went through its entire five-man pitching staff plus emergency moundsmen Bill Crain, the Hearts second baseman. Two Valentine pitchers, Chuck Dobson and Lou Marone, left the game with knee injuries. Even Crain felt the injury bug, brusing his hand on a ball batted back to him.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(June 26) Sturgis Titans rode home runs by Shaun Fitzmaurice, Dick Wieczezak and Neil McPhee to an 11-3 triumph over Winner. Steve Clark fanned 12 in going the route for the win.
xxx and xxx
Clark (W) and xxx
(June 26) In a dramatic finish at Rapid City, Dave Hoffman belted a two-run homer in the 12th inning to give Pierre Cowboys a 7-6 win over the Chiefs. Glen Lusk had delighted the home crowd with a three-run homer in the 9th to tie at 6-6. Jim Fairey and Gary Moore also had four-baggers for Rapid City, while Buddy Bovender added a homer for the Cowboys. Reliever Tim Thompson picked up the win fanning five of the six batters he faced. Bob Hergenrader was the loser.
Patrick, Durant (9), Thompson (W) (11) and Wojciak
Tobert, Hergenrader (L) (10) and Bennett
(June 29) Pierre Cowboys scored a pair in the top of the 9th then held off a Valentine rally in the bottom of the 9th o top the Hearts 8-7. Valentine had pulled to within a run in the 8th scoring twice and loading the bases before reliever John Durant put out the fire. After Pierre opened up an 8-5 lead with a pair in the final frame, Ken Suarez belted a two-run homer to again pull the Hearts to within one.
Ellis, Durant (8) and Wojciak
Marone, Lea (8), Shackelford (9) and Suarez
(June 29) Randy Brown's three-run homer in the bottom of the 9th inning gave Sioux Falls a dramatic 14-13 win over Winner to sweep a three-game series. Winner's Carl Morton and Mickey VanDeHey slammed back-to-back homers in the 3rd inning and the Phesants' Merv Rettenmund and Don Sessions belted circuit blows in the 5th. Jim Heirigs, who held Winner to one marker over the last four innings, picked up the win. Al Choate took the loss.
Bourne, Beatty (2), Choate (L) (2) and Bongiorno
Meyer, Zabala (3), Heirigs (W) (5) and Payne
Sturgis 7-4
Sioux Falls 7-5
Pierre 8-6
Rapid City 6-5
Winner 5-9
Valentine 4-8
(June/July ??) In a wild, wild affair at Sioux Falls, the hometown Packers went into the record book with a 35-5 thumping of Winner. Packers exploded for ten runs in the 2nd inning and added a pair of seven-run innings. The Pheasants helped the Packers' offense by committing nine errors.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(June/July ??) George Dugan fanned 19 batters as Sioux Falls downed Winner 7-3.
Dugan (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(June/July ??) Dave Hoffman clouted a grand slam homer in the 8th inning to break an 8-8 tie and set Pierre on the way to a 12-9 win over Rapid City. It was the 7th straight win for the Cowboys.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(June 30) Pierre Cowboys erupted for five runs in the top of the 1st inning and coasted to a 10-3 win over Rapid City. It was the club's 6th straight victory. Jim Dix and Del Unser each had two-run singles to highlight the opening frame. Dix, Unser, Dave Hoffman and Buddy Bovender each had three hits. Hoffman also had a pair of walks scored four times and stole two bases. Glen Lusk bashed two homers for the Chiefs. Billy Patrick tossed a six-hitter for the win.
Patrick (W) and Wojciak
McAndrew (L), QV Lowe (8) and Popovich, Bennett (7)
(June 30) Sioux Falls got back-to-back homers from Jim Adams and Don Pendley in the 2nd inning and were never headed in downing Winner 7-5. Packers plated three more runs in the 8th as Jan Kleinman drove in a two with a triple and scored on another base hit. Two more runs came in the 9th as Bob Gustafson belted a triple. A circuit clout by Merv Rettenmund in the 5th accounted for the first Winner run. Doubles by Rettenmund and Don Sessions added two more in the 8th. The Pheasants added a pair in the 9th before Don Sutton closed out the game.
Maras (W), Wright (8), Sutton (9) and Payne
Blateric (L) and Bongiorno
(June 30) Valentine Hearts downed Sturgis 8-5 to knock the Titans out of 1st place in the Basin League standings. Earl Lombardo's two-run single broke a 5-5 tie in the 7th inning and Ron Lea held the Titans in check the rest of the way. Al Koonce of Valentine and Fred Prifty for Sturgis each had bases-empty homers. Shaun Fitzmaurice had two singles to extend his batting streak to 12 games.
Ron Lea (W) and Dyer
Arnold, Wirell (L) (6), Miles (7) and Bragan
(July 2) Shaun Fitzmaurice extended his hitting streak to 15 games as Sturgis shaded Rapid City Chiefs 5-4 after the Chiefs had scored a 5-4 win in the completion of a suspended game.
Fitzmaurice had two hits in the regularly scheduled contest after registering one hit in the completion game to bring his batting mark to .491. Steve Clark scattered ten hits to cop the win in the regular contest over Bill Matusz. Dean Debuhr captured the win in the extended game, suspended Monday because of heavy rain with two out in the 9th. Gary Moore struck out Jim Williams with the Titans' Dick Cameron on third base to end the match. Dick Joyce took the loss.
Matusz (L), McAndrew (4), Moore (7) and Bergalowski
Clark (W) and Cameron
Hergenrader, Debuhr (W) (7), Moore (9) and Popovic, Bennett (9)
Joyce (L) and Cameron
(July 3) Valentine Hearts trounced Sturgis 17-5 as Ron Lea went the distance to register the pitching win. The Hearts jumped into an early lead with eight runs in the first two innings. The lone bright spot for the Titans was Dick Wieczezak's three-run homer in the 8th. Joe Barnes took the loss.
Lea (W) and xxx
Barnes (L), xxx and xxx
(July 3) Mickey VanDeHey held Rapid City to seven hits in a route-going performance as Winner topped the Chiefs 6-3. John Biedenbach of the Pheasants had the only homer, a two-run blast in the 5th inning.
Bishop (L), Tobert (5) and Bennett
VanDeHey (W) and Bongiorno
(July ??) Sioux Falls' George Dugan, fresh off a 19-strikeout performance on Winner, fired a four-hitter to down Pierre 7-1.
Dugan (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July ??) More than 16-hundred fans turned out at Sioux Falls for the Packers first appearance at home. The club had been playing its games at nearby Renner while its new park was being completed. Pierre ruined the day downing the Packers 4-1.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July ??) Chuck Dobson allowed just two hits as Valentine trounced Winner 12-4.
Dobson (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 6) In the longest game of the season, Sturgis downed Sioux Falls 4-3 in 14 innings.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July ??) Steve Clark fired a three-hitter with 16 strikeouts as Sturgis topped Winner 3-1.
Clark (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July ??) Clyde Wright registered 20 strikeouts in going the distance as Sioux Falls shaded Sturgis 3-2 in 13 innings. Dick Joyce whiffed 16 in a losing cause.
Wright (W) and xxx
Joyce (L) and xxx
(July ??) Chuck Dobson allowed just six hits and whiffed 16 in going all 12 innings in a 2-1 victory for Valentine over Sioux Falls.
Dobson (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July ??) Don Sutton fired a five-hit shutout as Sioux Falls blanked Pierre 7-0.
Sutton (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July ??) Winner Pheasants exploded for ten runs in the last frame to down Winner 19-8.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July ??) Sturgis Titans scored 11 unearned runs in the 2nd inning and went on to whip Winner 20-2.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 7) Neil McPhee's 8th inning home run, his second of the game, gave Sturgis a 4-3 victory over Valentine. McPhee also had a circuit blow in the 2nd inning following a homer by Dick Kratz. Jim Miles tossed a six-hitter for the win. Ron Lea was the loser, although he stopped Shaun Fitzmaurice. The Titans outfielder had hit safely in his first 19 games. During the streak, the Notre Dame star sported a batting mark of .455, drove in 33 runs, score 26 times, hit seven homers, six doubles and five triples.
Lea (L) and Suarez
Miles (W) and Bragan
(July 7) After seven scoreless innings, Glen Lusk's two-run double in the 8th inning broke a scoreless game and sent Rapid City to a 2-1 triumph over Sioux Falls. Lefthander Bob Hergenrader allowed just five hits in registering the win. Righthander Ed Maras gave up just six hits in taking the loss.
Maras (L) and Payne
Hergenrader (W) and Bergalowski
(July 8) Rich Shibley singled in the winning run in the 11th inning as Pierre shaded Rapid City 6-5. Tim Thompson allowed 12 hits but went all the way for the pitching win. Gary Moore, the starter for the Chiefs, had the only homer, a solo blast in the 8th which gave Rapid City a 5 to 4 lead. Ev Larkin's single in the bottom of the 9th tied the score and forced extra innings. It was Thompson's last game as the lefthander returned to Alabama for further studies.
Moore, McAndrew (7), Leal (11) and Bergalowski
Thompson (W) and Wojciak
(July 9) Rapid City 11 Winner 2, Valentine at SF rain
(July 9) Pierre Chiefs had just five hits, but took advantage of four errors to down Sturgis 5-3 to take over sole position of first place in the Basin League standings. Before a crowd of more than 25-hundred at Pierre, the Cowboys scored a pair in the second inning as Del Unser and Buddy Bovender came home on an error. Dave Hoffman scored in the 3rd on a ground out. In the 4th, Unser stole home. The final marker came in the 5th as Ron Wojciak counted on an infield grounder. The Titans got a homer by Bob Welz in the 3rd and a pair in the 4th. Danny Eggart went the route for the win.
Joyce (L) and Bragan
Eggart (W) and Wojciak
(July 14) Rapid City 2 Valentine 1, Sioux Falls 3 Sturgis 2, 13 innings
(July 14) Pierre Cowboys punched out 14 hits in defeating Winner 8-2 behind the seven-hit pitching of Dan Eggart. Cowboys scored four in the 4th on five hits, all singles. Tom Chapman took the loss.
Chapman (L), Choate (6) and Bongiorno
Eggart (W) and Wojciak
(July 16) Winner used the long ball to whip Rapid City 16-9. Pheasants clouted five homers, two each by Merv Rettenmund and Don Sessions and a solo shot by George Kalafatis. Jim Fairey had a long one for the Chiefs. Mickey VanDeHey gave up 12 hits in going the distance for the victory, his 3rd.
VanDeHey (W) and Bongiorna
Hergenrader, McAndrew (L) (6), Matusz (7), Lusk (8) and Bergalowski, Larson (9)
(July 16) Valentine 2 Sioux Falls 1, 12 innings
(July 17) Rapid City built an 11-4 lead but had to hang on in the 9th to down Winner 11-9. The Pheasants scored five times with two out in the 9th and had a runner at second base when reliever Gary Moore fanned pinch-hitter Tom Bongiorno to end the contest. Carl Morton's three-run homer was the big blow for Winner in the 9th inning uprising. Dick Billings and Jim Barfield combined to drive in seven runs for the Chiefs. Felipe Leal was the winner over Bob Kovaleski.
Kovaleski (L), Choate (6), Blateric (7) and Rettenmund
Leal (W), Gongola (7), Moore (9) and Bergalowski, Larson (9)
(July 17) Neil McPhee belted a three-run double in the 7th inning to give Sturgis a 5-4 win over Pierre. Steve Clark fired an eight-hitter for his 5th win of the season, without a loss. He fanned five and walked three. Kerby Ellis took the defeat.
Ellis (L), Durant (7) and Wojciak
Clark (W) and Bragan
(July 17) Sioux Falls Packers scored two in the first and three in the second and coasted to a 6-2 triumph over Valentine. Adrian Zabala held the Hearts to six hits to register the victory. Alan Koonce belted a bases-empty homer in the 6th and added a triple and single for Valentine.
Closter (L), Ryan (5) and Suarez
Zabala (W) and Payne
(July 18) Valentine 10 Sioux Falls 7
(July 18) Shaun Fitzmaurice singled and moved around to score on a walk, single by Neil McPhee and an error to hand Sturgis a 4-3 decision over Sioux Falls. In a three-run 1st inning Fitzmaurice had tripled in a run and scored another. McPhee added a solo homer. Joe Barnes pitched a six-hitter for the win. Don Sutton allowed just six hits in taking the defeat.
Barnes (W) and Bragan
Sutton (L) and Payne
(July 18) Joe Bosworth and John Durant combined on a seven-hitter as Pierre edged Rapid City 3-2. Durant took over in the 9th after Erin Peterson had singled with none out. Durant got Chet Bergalowski to hit into a double play then retired the next batter to preserve the win.
Moore (L) and Bergalowski
Bosworth (W), Durant (9) and Wojciak
(July 19) Sturgis 3 Pierre 1, Winner 5 Sioux Falls 3
(July 19) Righthander Ron Lea fired a six-hitter allowing just one earned run to lead Valentine to a 6-2 win over Rapid City. Lea's lone mistake was an 8th inning home run ball to Chiefs' centrefielder Jim Fairey. Al Koonce tripled in two runs in the Hearts' three-run 2nd inning.
Lea (W) and Suarez
Matusz (L), Hergenrader (2), McAndrew (8) and Bergalowski
(July 20) John Sluka singled with the bases loaded in the 8th inning to knock in the winning run as Sioux Falls Packers topped Winner 7-6. The Pheasants had taken the lead with three runs in the top of the 8th but the Packers rebounded with a pair in the bottom of the frame as they loaded the sacks on a walk and two singles before Sluka's key hit. Adrian Zabala got credit for the win. Losing pitcher Mickey VanDeHey had the game's only homer, a two-run blast in the 5th.
VanDeHey (L), Kovaleski (8) and Bongiorno
Wright, Zabala (W) (8), Sutton (9) and Payne
(July 20) Valentine Hearts beat Rapid City 7-4 as Chuck Dobson fanned 11 in chalking up his 4th win of the season. Dobson allowed seven hits, one of them a three-run homer by Jim Fairey in the 7th inning. Duffy Dyer had a homer for the Hearts.
Dobson (W) and Suarez
Tobert (L) and Bergalowski
Sturgis 20 9
Pierre 17 12 3
Valentine 14 15 6
Sioux Falls 13 15 6 1/2
Rapid City 13 17 7 1/2
Winner 10 19 10
(July 21) Neil McPhee of Sturgis scored on the front end of a double steal in the 11th inning to hand Rapid City its 5th straight loss, 9-8. The Titans led 8-2 going into the bottom of the 8th inning when the Chiefs rallied for four runs and added another pair in the 9th to send the game into extra innings. Dick Billings' grand slam homer was the big blow for the Chiefs. McPhee and Bobby Bragan each had a homer for the Titans.
Abels, Miles (W) and Bragan
Leal, Moore (L) (3) and Bergalowski
(July 21) Ed Maras fired a three-hitter with nine strikeouts to lead Sioux Falls past Pierre 7-1. The Packers collected 12 hits with doubles by John Sluka and Al Payne the only extra-base blows.
Eggart (L), S Morton (6), Unser (8) and Wojciak
Maras (W) and Payne
(July 21) Carl Morton's two-run homer in the 7th inning proved to be the difference as Winner got by Valentine 5-4. Pitcher Al Closter knocked in a pair of runs for the Hearts with a double in the 4th inning.
Seminoff, Kovaleski (7) and Bongiorno
Closer, Lea (7) and Suarez
(July 22) Art Marcell singled in John Sluka in the bottom of the 19th inning to end a marathon at Sioux Falls and give the Packers a 3-2 win over Pierre. Don Sutton fired shutout ball for 13 innings to notch the win. He fanned 15 in his relief stint. Pierre had tied the match at 2-2 in the top of the 5th before the clubs went 13 scoreless frames. The marathon lasted five hours and ten minutes.
Shackelford, Durant (10), S Morton (16) and Wojciak
Zabala, Dugan (6), Sutton (7), and Payne, Brown (8)
(July 22) Dick Rhine, in his first pitching start, fanned 11 as Valentine tripped up Winner 10-5.
Rhine (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 23) Valentine Hearts pounded Sturgis 11-1 to snap the Titans five-game winning streak. Ken Suarez clubbed a three-run homer in the 3rd inning to kick off the offensive. Jim Folsom held the Titans to six hits, one of them a homer by Shaun Fitzmaurice. Folsom registered ten strikeouts and yielded no walks. Steve Clark suffered his first loss of the season.
Clark (L), Wirrell (6) and Bragan
Folsom (W) and Suarez
(July 23) Joe Bosworth and Cecil Robinson combined on a four-hit shutout as Pierre Cowboys downed Winner 7-0. Robinson fanned 13 in a seven-inning relief effort. Shortstop Rich Shibley's third inning homer proved enough for the win.
Rhea (L), Kovaleski (7) and Tipton
Bosworth, Robinson (W) (3) and Wojciak
Sturgis 21 10
Pierre 18 14 3 1/2
Valentine 16 16 5 1/2
Sioux Falls 15 15 5 1/2
Rapid City 13 18 8
Winner 11 21 10 1/2
(July 24) A bases-loaded triple by Jeff Allen in the 6th inning carried Sturgis to an 8-6 victory over Valentine. Jim Miles registered the win in relief.
Barnes, Miles (W) (4) and Bragan
Marone, Closter (L) (5), Lea (8) and Suarez
(July 24) Pierre Cowboys scored three in the 10th inning then held off a Winner rally in the bottom of the frame to edge the Pheasants 9-8. Jim Dix belted a two-run homer for Winner in the 6th inning to tie at 6-6. Carl Morton had earlier clubbed a two-run homer for the losers. Pierre, out-hit 14 to 9, scored six unearned runs.
Patrick, S Morton (4), Bosworth (W) (7) and Wojciak
VanDeHey, Movaleski (7), Seminoff (10), Chapman (10) and Bongiorno
(July 24) Shortstop Art Marcell drove in five runs, including a three-run homer, to lead a 17-hit attack in Sioux Falls' 13-2 trouncing of Rapid City. Lefthander George Dugan had a four-hit shutout until the 8th inning when he tired and allowed four more safeties and the two runs in the final two frames.
Dugan (W) and Payne
Hergenrader (L), Gongola (4), Matusz (6) and Bergalowski, Larson (5)
(July 24) Shaun Fitzmaurice of Sturgis and Chuck Dobson of Valentine were unanimous selections as the Basin League All-Star team was announced. Fitzmaurice (Notre Dame) is on his way to rewriting the league's record book in average, hits, runs batted in, total bases and triples. Dobson has a 4-1 record with 63 strikeouts in 50 1/2 innings. League managers selected the team.
The outfield duo from the University of Oklahoma, Carl Morton and Dale Mitchell, landed berths for the second straight season. Morton, of Winner, tied for the league lead in home runs in 1963 and currently sits with a .358 average. Mitchell, of Valentine, is the son of a former Cleveland Indians' star.
Sturgis placed four players on the first team - Fitzmaurice, shortstop Jim Williams (Fresno State), and pitchers Steve Clark (Oregon State) and Ernie Abels (St. Johns). The pair had combined for an 11-1 mark this season. Clark's 2.24 earned run average was a league best.
Third baseman Jim Barfield (Auburn) and second baseman Stirling Coward (Kansas). George Kalafatis (Long Island) was selected at first base. His eight homers rank second to the ten pounded out by Fitzmaurice. Ron Wojciak (Minnesota) captured the catching slot.
(July 28) Valentine Hearts erupted for ten runs in the 6th inning and coasted to a 15-4 decision over Rapid City. Earl Lombardo and Ken Suarez belted home runs for the winners. Suarez' blast cleared both the inner and outer fences at Valentine. It was only the second time a homer had cleared both walls. Frank Howard was the first to do it, in 1957. Chuck Dobson fired a five-hitter for the win. He compiled 12 strikeouts.
Gongola (L) , Hergenrader (6), Matusz (6) and Steele
Dobson (W) and Suarez
(July 28) Cecil Robinson, a freshman from Wake Forest, pitched a six-hit shutout in his 2nd appearance in the Basin League as Pierre Cowboys walloped Sioux Falls 13-0. Cowboys had 15 hits, all singles, and were helped by five Packers' errors.
Zabala (L), Dugan (2), Goodrich (2), Maras (4), Pendley (6) and Payne, Brown (5)
Robinson (W) and Wojciak, Larkin (3)
(July 28) Bobby Bragan's three-run homer in the 6th inning proved key as Sturgis beat Winner 9-5. Merv Rettenmund had a two-run blast for the Pheasants. Jim Miles went the route for the win. He had 11 strikeouts.
Miles (W) and Bragan
VanDeHey (L), Deminoff (6), Chapman (9) and Rettenmund
(July 30) Sturgis 13 Valentine 9
(July 30) Clyde Wright pitched and batted Sioux Falls to a 6-2 win over Rapid City. Wright went the first seven innings on the hill and gave the Packers the early lead with a homer in the 2nd inning. Don Sutton allowed no hits and fanned five in his two innings of relief of Wright. Jim Goodrich broke a 2-2 tie in the 7th scoring on a wild pitch.
Wright, Sutton (8) and Payne
Tobert (L), Gongola (9) and Steele
(July 31) In a loosely- played contest at Rapid City, Sioux Falls rapped out 15 hits to bounce the Chiefs 15-6. There were 13 errors in the game, seven by the Packers. Clyde Wright had a homer for Sioux Falls while Jim Fairey replied for the Chiefs. Ed Maras picked up the win.
Maras (W), Sutton (8) and Payne
Moore (L), Hergenrader (3), Matusz (4) and Steele
(July 31) Winner survived five errors to down Pierre 10-7. Pheasants used the long ball to gain the win. Don Sessions had a three-run homer, Merv Rettenmund a two-run shot and George Kalafatis and Stickland solo shots. Tom Chapman was the winning pitcher.
Eggart (L), S Morton (5), Robinson (7), Durant (8) and Wojciak
Chapman (W), Bongiorno (7) and Rettenmund
(July 31) Valentine's Al Closter held Sturgis to five hits in blanking the Titans 2-0. It was the Titans third straight loss, their longest losing streak of the season. Steve Clark was the loser.
Closter (W) and Suarez
Clark (L) and Bragan
(August 3) In a pitcher's duel at Pierre the Chiefs shaded Rapid City 4-1. Duke Shackelford pitched a five-hitter for the win. Gary Moore allowed just four hits in taking the loss. Del Unser had the big blow, a two-run homer in the 2nd inning.
Moore (L) and Steele
Shackelford (W) and Wojciak
(August 3) Sioux Falls pushed across three unearned runs to dump Sturgis 4-1. Clyde Wright was the winner, allowing eight hits. Ernie Abels gave up just four hits, all singles, in taking the loss.
Abels (L) and Bragan
Wright (W) and Payne
(August 4) Don Sutton held Pierre to six hits and Sioux Falls took advantage of our Cowboys' errors to post a 4-2 win. Jim Durant, with a four-hitter, was the hard-luck loser. Shortstop Dick Shibley was the big gun for the Cowboys scoring both runs and banging out a triple and double.
Durant (L) and Wojciak
Sutton (W) and Payne
(August 4) Dale Mitchell scored on a wild pitch in the 18th inning to give Valentine a 6-5 win over Sturgis. It was a heart-breaking loss for Al Closter who went the distance for the Titans. Mitchell walked, advanced to second on a bunt and moved to third on an infield hit.
Miles, Wirrell (L) (8) and Bragan
Closter (W) and Saurez
(August 4) A crowd of more than 38-hundred, largest in the Basin League this summer, saw Rapid City upend Winner 7-3. Lefthander Lance Tobert set the Pheasants down on six hits with 14 strikeouts. Gary Moore and Bill Lennon each knocked in a pair for the Chiefs in the first inning.
Blateric (L), Scheibler and Rettenmund
Tobert (W) and Steele
Sturgis 27 16
Pierre 25 18 2
Valentine 23 20 4
Sioux Falls 22 20 4 1/2
Rapid City 17 26 10
Winner 14 28 12 1/2
(August 5) Winner Pheasants downed Rapid City 6-5.
(July/August ??) Dale Mitchell and Dick Fernandez each punched out four hits to lead Valentine to a 13-9 victory over Sturgis.
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(July/August ??) Buddy Bovender cracked a two-run homer to provide the margin of victory as Pierre topped Sioux Falls 3-1.
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(July/August ??) A grand slam homer by Tom Bongiorno led Winner by Sturgis 10-4.
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(July/August ??) Steve Clark fired a five-hitter before more than 36-hundred fans at Sturgis as the Titans dumped Winner 9-1. It was Clarks 6th win in 7 decisions.
Clark (W) and xxx
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(August 6) Carl Morton poked a homer in the bottom of the 9th inning to give Winner a 7-6 win over Sioux Falls. It was his 10th home run of the season. Packers had tied the game in the top of the 9th on a round-tripper by Jim Adams. Bob Kovaleski picked up the win in relief.
Goodrich (L) and Payne
Rhea, Kovaleski and Rettenmund
(August 6) Stirling Coward, Jim Fairey and Dick Billings each drove in two runs to push Rapid City to a 9-3 triumph over Sturgis. Dick Hergenrader went the route for the win.
Clark (L), Barnes (5) and Bragan, Brickley (5)
Hergenrader (W) and Steele
(August 6) Joe Bosworth blanked Valentine on three hits and fanned 14 as Pierre posted a 5-0 victory. Second baseman Dick Prindle had the only homer.
Folsom (L), Rhine (3) and Suarez
Bosworth (W) and Wojciak
(August 7) Sioux Falls 4 Winner 1
(August 7) Homers by Duffy Dyer and Al Koonce carried Valentine to a 5-2 win over Pierre. Ron Lea tossed a seven-hitter for the win.
Lea (W) and Suarez
Robinson (L), Morton (7) and Wojciak
(August 7) Dick Joyce pitched Sturgis into a two game lead atop the Basin League standings as the Titans thrashed Rapid City 10-3. Joyce held the Chiefs to seven hits and compiled 14 strikeouts.
Moore (L), Gongola (3) and Steele
Joyce (W) and Brickley
(August 9) Rapid City surprised Sturgis 8-7 in 11 innings but Titans speedster Shaun Fitzmaurice erased three Basin League records - most hits (beating the mark of 74 stet by Len VanDeHey at Huron in 1960), total bases (132 by Hal Holland of Mitchell in 1960) and triples (nine by Fred Woessner, Sturgis in 1961). His batting average tailed off, however, to .365, well behind Frank Howard's record pace of 1957.
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(August 9??) George Kalafatis's homer broke a 7-7 tie and sent Winner to an 11-7 win over Pierre.
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(August 10) Sturgis Titans clinched their first Basin League title by beating Rapid City 10-8. Shaun Fitzmaurice and Bobby Bragan belted homers for the winners. The three-run blast by Fitzmaurice broke another league record. With 54 runs batted in, he topped the mark of 53 set by Hal Holland of Mitchell in 1960.
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(August 10) Chuck Dobson gave up a 1st inning homer than blanked Sioux Falls on three hits the rest of the way as Valentine beat the Packers 5-1. The righthander fanned nine and walked two in registering his 6th win in eight decisions. Randy Brown belted the homer for the Packers. Billy Crain had a pair of doubles for the Hearts.
Dobson (W) and Suarez
Maras (L), Zabala (6) and Brown
(August 10) Basin League home run leader Merv Rettenmund clouted a pair of long balls to pace Winner to an 11-4 win over Pierre. John Biedenbach chipped in with a three-run blast. Buddy Bovender had a three-run homer for the Cowboys. Bob Kovaleski gave up 12 hits but lasted the distance for the pitching victory.
Kovaleski (W) and Bongiorno
Bosworth (L), S Morton and Wojciak
(August 11) Tom Bongiorno and Don Sessions clubbed two-run homers to lead Winner by Sioux Falls, 10-4. Wes Rhea held the Titans to nine hits in gaining the win. Randy Brown had a two-run homer for the losers.
Rhea (W) and Bongiorno
Goodrich (L), Pendley (5) and Brown
(August 11) Sturgis had its biggest lead of the season, a five-game bulge, following a 6-4 victory over Pierre. A three-run 8th inning, highlighted by a triple from Dick Wieczezak and double by Dick Brickley, carried the Titans to the win. Del Unser provided most of the offense for Pierre with a three-run homer.
Joyce, Johnson (3), Abels (6), Wirrell (W) (7) and Brickley
Robinson, Durant (6), Unser (L) 8) and Wojciak
(August 12) Winner Pheasants again took advantage of the home run ball in besting Valentine 5-2. George Kalafatis and Carl Morton provided the power. Steve Blateric fired a six-hitter in picking up the mound decision.
Blateric (W) and Bongiorno
Marone (L), Rhine (9) and Suarez
(August 12) Catcher Steve Steele belted a grand slam homer to cap a five-run 5th inning as Rapid City whipped Sioux Falls 12-6. It was Steele's first homer of the season. The Chiefs put together another five-run frame in the 3rd on three singles, a double, an error and a fielder's choice. The Packers had taken an early lead with three runs in the opening frame on Bob Gustafson's double, a Randy Brown single, Jan Kleinman triple and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Clyde Wright.
Leal, Tobert (W) (5) and Steele, Larson (9)
Dugan (L), Zabala (5), Maras (8) and Brown
(August 12) Pierre Cowboys wrapped up second spot in the league standings with a 3-2 win over Sturgis. The Cowboys scored the winner in the 7th inning as Ev Larkin tripled to plate Buddy Bovender. Dan Eggart held the Titans to six hits to gain the win. Jim Miles allowed just five hits in taking the defeat.
Miles (L) and Brickley
Eggart (W) and Wojciak
FINAL STANDINGS
Sturgis 31 19
Pierre 27 23 4
Sioux Falls 26 24 5
Valentine 25 25 6
Rapid City 21 28 9.5
Winner 19 30 11.5
(League officials announced that a Rapid City protest of the August 5th game with Winner had been upheld. Thus, the Pheasants' 6-5 victory had been erased and the game goes into the books as no contest. Individual statistics will, however, be counted.)
PLAYOFFS :
(August 13) Sioux Falls drew first blood in their best-of-three playoff with a 2-1 victory over Pierre Cowboys. Titans scored in the opening frame on back-to-back singles and notched the eventual winner in the 2nd inning on a wild pitch. Pierre's lone run came in the 7th on Everett Larkin's double which plated Jim Dix. Clyde Wright went the distance for the win.
Wright (W) and Brown
Shackelford (L), Durant (8) and Wojciak
(August 13) Billy Crain's two-run triple in the 3rd inning proved to be the difference as Valentine upset Sturgis 5-3 in the opening game of their semi-final series. Hearts had scored a pair in the 2nd, helped by a double by catcher Ken Suarez. Bobby Bragan homered for the Titans. Al Closter gave up seven hits and fanned 16 in claiming the mound victory. Dick Joyce allowed just four hits and struck out 14 in taking the loss.
Joyce (L) and Brickley
Closter (W) and Suarez
(August 14) Shaun Fitzmaurice, Sturgis center fielder, was named the Basin League's most valuable player. League players selected the Notre Dame star. Merv Rettenmund, Winner's catcher-outfielder, was runnerup. Rettenmund led the circuit in homers. Fitzmaurice set four league records. Players also made their selections for the all-star teams :
First team :
Catcher - Ken Suarez, Valentine
First base - George Kalafatis, Winner
Second base - Stirling Coward, Rapid City
Shortstop - Jim Williams, Sturgis
Third base - Buddy Bovender, Pierre
Outfield - Carl Morton, Merv Rettenmund, Winner and Shaun Fitzmaurice, Sturgis
Pitchers - Chuck Dobson, Al Closter, Valentine and George Dugan, Don Sutton, Sioux Falls.
(August 14) Sioux Falls put up five runs on the board in the first two innings then held on for a 5-4 decision over Pierre to capture the semi-final series in two games. Don Sutton allowed just five hits in taking the win. Packers' errors accounted for all the Cowboys' markers. John Sluka had three hits and scored a pair for the winners. Buddy Bovender had two hits for the Cowboys and Del Unser knocked in two.
Bosworth (L), Robinson (2) and Wojciak
Sutton (W) and Brown
(August 13) Valentine also won a berth in the final with a semi-final sweep of Sturgis. Back-to-back doubles by Al Koonce and Earl Lombardo in the 6th inning broke a 4-4 tie and gave the Hearts a 6-4 victory over the pennant-winning Titans. Duffy Dyer belted a homer in the 5th for the Hearts. Ron Lea went the route to gain the mound decision. Titans had the bases loaded in the 8th inning but failed to score.
Lea (W) and Suarez
Clark (L), Wirrell (6) and Brickley
(August ??) Valentine Hearts took the opening game of the Basin League final, 1-0 over Sioux Falls.
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(August ??)
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(August ??) Clyde Wright hurled a four-hitter to best Al Closter as Sioux Falls edged Valentine 3-2 to win the league title. Wright fanned the side in the 9th inning to put an exclamation mark of the triumph.
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