Senior Legion goes 3-1 at Dakota Classic

The 2025 Dakota Classic baseball tournament got underway Friday, June 13, with games held at several locations across the Sioux Falls area. Among the teams competing was the Lennox Senior Legion Post 174 team, which finished with an impressive 3-1 record during the tournament.

Lennox opened play with a strong 4-0 shutout victory over Huron Post 7. 

Pitcher Emory Lefers led the defensive effort, striking out seven Huron batters and working out of early trouble in the first inning when Huron loaded the bases. He allowed only three hits in the game, pitching all seven innings. 

Lennox capitalized in the bottom of the first with a key RBI single from Cole Spieler that brought home the first run. Additional runs followed in the second and fifth innings, with solid hits from Jaxson Bittner, Jackson Anacker, and Spieler again adding to the scoreboard. Dayne Moeller, Nate Haar and Lefers each had a hit in the game as well. 

In their second game, Lennox fell to Columbus, Nebraska, by a score of 10-2. 

Lennox opened the game with a scoreless first inning, unable to get a baserunner past first against the Columbus pitcher who kept the Post 174 offense in check through much of the contest. 

Lennox’s defense started strong as well, with pitcher Spieler retiring the first Columbus batter on a ground out and working around a walk to keep the game scoreless after one.

The second inning saw Columbus break things open. After back-to-back singles to start the frame, a hit batter loaded the bases. Columbus capitalized on the opportunity, scoring five runs in the inning. Columbus added another run in the third to stretch their lead to 6-0.

Lennox mounted a brief rally in the fourth inning. Anacker led off with a double and was followed by a walk to Talen Eich. Spieler came through with a single, scoring Anacker. Eich crossed the plate on a Columbus fielding error during the same play, bringing Lennox within four at 6-2. However, Columbus responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning, tacking on four more runs to put the game out of reach.

Despite hits from Moeller—who went 2-for-2 on the night—and Anacker’s double, Lennox couldn’t overcome the early deficit. 

However, Lennox bounced back in their next match, edging Omaha Gross 3-2 in a closely contested battle on Saturday, June 14.

Lennox jumped on the board early, scoring twice in the bottom of the first inning. Bittner led off with a single, and Eich added another base hit that moved Anacker to third. Spieler’s sacrifice fly brought home the first run, and Moeller followed with an RBI single to score Eich.

Omaha Gross got on the board in the second inning, capitalizing on a Lennox throwing error that allowed a run to cross the plate. Gross tied the game 2-2 in the fourth after an aggressive sequence on the base paths saw a steal of home plate.

The game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the sixth. Lennox’s Spieler doubled to left and advanced to third on an error. Moeller then put the ball in play, reaching on an error by the Omaha second baseman and driving in the go-ahead run.

On the mound, Anacker and Eich combined for a solid pitching effort. Anacker pitched into the sixth inning, allowing one hit, two runs and recording one strike-out, while Eich closed out the game, recording one strike-out. 

The Lennox defense came up big when it mattered most, including turning a key double play in the sixth to escape a bases-loaded situation without damage.

The team wrapped up the tournament on a high note with a 10-7 win over Chanhassen Blue. 

Chanhassen jumped out early, loading the bases in the first inning, but Lennox’s defense held strong, cutting down a runner at home and getting out of the jam without allowing a run. 

Lennox capitalized in the bottom half of the inning when Anacker scored on a grounder that was misplayed by the Chanhassen shortstop.

Chanhassen responded with a four-run third inning, stringing together a series of hits, walks, and a key two-RBI single to take a 4-1 lead. Chanhassen tacked on two more in the fourth on a two-run double, stretching their lead to 6-2.

But Lennox refused to back down. In the bottom of the fourth, Post 174’s bats came alive. Consecutive doubles from Jack Aashiem, Gabe Veurink, and Bittner fueled a four-run rally to tie the game at 6-6.

Lennox delivered in the bottom sixth to put the game away. With the bases loaded, Justin Butler drew a walk to force in the tying run. Moments later, a wild pitch allowed the go-ahead run to score, and Mason Reischl followed with a sacrifice fly to give Lennox some breathing room at 10-7.

Chanhanssen was unable to score in the top of the seventh, giving Lennox the win. 

On the mound, Reischl and Haar handled pitching duties. Reischl allowed eight hits, six runs, and recorded six strike-outs. Haar allowed one hit, one run and recorded three strike-outs. 

Earning hits in the win were Bittner, Eich, Moeller, Haar, Butler, Aasheim, and Veurink who went three of four at the plate.

Next up for Post 174 will be a match-up at Freeman on the Thursday, June 19. They will be at Elk Point on Friday, June 20 . 

The Legion’s home game scheduled for June 24 against Beresford has been canceled.  Lennox Post 174 will be home on Friday, June 27 facing off against Colton.