Lennox Senior Legion opens Region tournament with win, ends season shy of State

The Lennox Senior Legion baseball team opened Region 3B tournament play with an impressive victory before coming up just short of a berth in the Class B State Tournament.

Lennox defeated Beresford Area 8-4 in its opening-round game Tuesday, July 21, before suffering a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Dakota Valley on Wednesday, July 22. The Post 174 squad’s season came to an end later that day with a 10-2 loss to Vermillion.

Lennox 8, Beresford Area 4

Lennox used timely hitting and strong pitching to advance in the regional tournament with an 8-4 victory over Beresford Area.

After a scoreless first inning, Lennox broke through in the second. Mason Reischl led off with a double before Gabe Veurink delivered a two-run triple. Jaxson Bittner followed with an RBI single as Lennox built a 3-0 advantage.

Beresford answered with a run in the third, but Lennox extended its lead in the bottom half of the inning. Talen Eich singled and Cole Spieler doubled before Griffen Boomgarden drove in both runners with a two-run single to make it 5-1.

Lennox added three more runs in the fourth inning. Gabe Veurink singled to begin the rally before Jackson Anacker drove home a run with a bunt single. Eich added a sacrifice fly and Reischl capped the inning with an RBI double, pushing the lead to 8-2.

Beresford scored once in the sixth and once in the seventh, but Lennox closed out the victory.

Reischl earned the win on the mound, striking out six batters over five innings while allowing three runs. Gabe Veurink pitched the final inning to secure the victory, striking out two. 

At the plate, Gabe Veurink led Lennox by going 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored. Reischl finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI, while Boomgarden drove in two runs. Eich, Bittner and Anacker each added an RBI.

Dakota Valley 5, Lennox 4

Lennox appeared poised to advance to the regional championship after building a lead, but Dakota Valley rallied with a three-run sixth inning to claim a 5-4 victory.

Lennox scored first in the opening inning when Jaxson Bittner walked, stole second and eventually scored on a Dakota Valley error.

Justin Butler extended the lead to 2-1 in the second inning with a solo home run to left field.

Lennox added another run in the third when Jackson Anacker scored on a Dakota Valley error before Cade Aasheim’s RBI single in the fourth gave Post 174 a 4-1 advantage.

Cole Spieler kept Dakota Valley off balance through six innings, striking out eight.

The game turned in the bottom of the sixth. Following an error and a hit batter, Dakota Valley’s Jack Wiese delivered a two-run double to tie the game at 4-4. Vincent Hoffman followed with an RBI single to give Dakota Valley its first lead of the afternoon at 5-4.

Lennox threatened in the seventh after Gabe Veurink reached on an error and Jackson Anacker reached on catcher’s interference, but Dakota Valley retired the final batter to end the game.

Butler’s home run highlighted the Lennox offense, while Aasheim drove in another run. Eich and Butler each collected hits as Lennox finished with four hits.

Vermillion 10, Lennox 2

Lennox’s season came to an end with a 10-2 loss to Vermillion in an elimination game.

Vermillion took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by Connor Peterson, but Lennox’s pitching staff kept the game close through six innings. Talen Eich started on the mound, striking out four over four innings while allowing just one run. Jackson Anacker took over in the fifth and escaped a bases-loaded jam to keep Lennox within striking distance.

Lennox had several opportunities to tie the game but couldn’t capitalize. The Post 174 squad stranded runners in scoring position in the fourth inning after Mason Reischl was hit by a pitch and Griffen Boomgarden drew a walk. Another golden opportunity came in the sixth when Eich singled, Cole Spieler was hit by a pitch and Reischl walked to load the bases with no outs. Vermillion starter Cale Cleveland responded by striking out the next two batters before inducing a groundout to end the threat.

The game broke open in the top of the seventh. Vermillion sent 14 batters to the plate and scored nine runs, taking advantage of walks, hit batters and five hits, including a two-run double by Peterson.

Lennox refused to go quietly in its final at-bat. Nate Haar was hit by a pitch, Jack Aasheim and Preston Otte each drew walks to load the bases, and Eich drove in two runs with a double to left field. Vermillion retired the next three batters to secure the 10-2 victory.

Eich led Lennox offensively with a double, a single and two RBIs, while Bittner and Cade Aasheim each added a hit.

The loss ended the 2026 season for Post 174. 

The South Dakota 2026 Class B Senior American Legion Baseball State Championship Tournament will be held at Flynn Field in Madison, SD beginning this Friday, July 31 and continuing through Tuesday, August 4.