Lennox 12u wins SD VFW Alpha Division State Championship

Team members celebrate after claiming the State Championship. 

The Lennox Orioles 12u baseball team competed in the 2026 VFW State Baseball Alpha Division Tournament in Beresford, South Dakota July 17-19 and came away with the State Championship. Twelve teams participated in the State tournament.  

The Orioles started pool play with a 5-3 loss to Dell Rapids Light Blue then won the second pool play game against Canton 28-2. The Orioles finished pool play with a 1-1 record leading in to bracket play. Bracket play tournament games started on July 18th.  The Orioles were paired with Dell Rapids Navy in the first round.  The Orioles pitching staff of Marek Wulf and Easton Doud pitched a 10-0 shutout win.  Cason Zens led off the game with a solo in-the-park home run, Grady Peterson and Eli Johnson later doubled and Jase Thoms singled and stole home resulting in a seven-run first inning. Creyton Seykora and Cason Zens each went two for two at the plate in the game.  Lincoln Peterson and Easton Doud also collected hits. The Orioles never looked back after a seven run first inning beating the team from Dell Rapids 10-0.

The next bracket play game paired the number one seed Madison 12u versus the Orioles. Grady Peterson started the game for the Orioles and recorded 18 outs, zero runs, and 4 strikeouts on 74 pitches.  The Orioles defense made several plays to keep the Madison team off the bases. The defense was led by centerfielder Lance Kolthoff who took away several outfield hits from the Bulldogs. The defense did not commit any errors in the field and stranded four runners on base. The offense was led by Grady Peterson who finished the game three for three driving in two runs. RJ VandeHoef also drove in one run in the fifth inning. Cason Zens stole two bases and scored one run.  Gavin Schmidt, Lance Kolthoff, Lincoln Peterson and Creyton Seykora also recorded hits in this pitcher’s duel. The nine Oriole hits would result in a 3-0 Oriole victory to advance to the semi-final game on July 19.

In the semi-finals, the Lennox 12u team was paired with a familiar Canton 12u team who upset the higher seeded Beresford Dirt Dogs.  Lance Kolthoff and Mason Reints led the team on the bump and combined only allowed one hit.  The Orioles’ offense was powered by RJ VandeHoef and Jase Thoms who each went two for two in the game.  Marek Wulf, Easton Doud, Mason Reints, Eli Johnson, Grady Peterson, Cason Zens, and Creyton Seykora each recorded a hit in the game.  The Orioles would go on to win the game 15-0.

The Championship game paired the Orioles versus the team from Dell Rapids who had beaten the Orioles in the regular season 10-1 and in pool play 5-3 two days prior.  The Lennox pitchers and defense would again lead the team.  RJ VandeHoef started the game by throwing three innings and allowing only one run and striking out three.  Lance Kolthoff pitched the remaining three innings, striking out six batters and allowing two hits and zero walks on 36 pitches.  Shortstop Cason Zens and 2nd baseman Lincoln Peterson turned a crucial bases loaded double play that was picked at first base by Marek Wulf in the 3rd inning.  The Orioles pitchers and defense kept ten Dell Rapids runners stranded on base in the Championship game.  The offense was powered by RJ VandeHoef who drove in three runs.  Grady Peterson went three for four at the plate driving in two runs.  Lincoln Peterson and Cason Zens each went two for four in the game.  Eli Johnson, Creyton Seykora, Jase Thoms and Mason Reints also recorded hits in the Championship game resulting in a 9-1 victory over the team from Dell Rapids.