The Spearfish Sasquatch erased a four-run deficit with a massive nine-run fourth inning and rolled to a 15-7 victory over the Capital City Aviators on Wednesday in Spearfish.
After falling behind 6-2 in the top of the fourth, the Sasquatch responded with one of their biggest offensive outbursts of the season. Spearfish sent a parade of hitters to the plate and scored nine runs on five hits to completely flip the game, turning a four-run deficit into an 11-6 advantage.
The biggest hit of the inning came from Maddox Morrison, who delivered a two-run single on an 0-2 count to spark the comeback.
Spearfish struck first in the opening inning when Noah Betanco drove in a run on a groundout. Capital City answered in the second as Sam Fassbender tripled to center field and later helped the Aviators tie the game at 1-1. The Sasquatch regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning when an Aviator’s error allowed a run to score.
The teams traded runs again in the third inning. Capital City’s Cahill lined an RBI single down the left-field line to knot the score at 2-2 before the Aviators took control in the fourth. Brandon Buchanan’s sacrifice fly, Colin Byrd’s two-run single and another Spearfish error helped Capital City build a 6-2 lead.
That advantage was short-lived.
The Sasquatch bats erupted in the bottom of the fourth and never looked back, eventually finishing with 16 hits. Bo Iandoli led the offensive attack, going 3-for-6 with a double and two singles. Malakai Lopez also collected three hits, while Betanco, Carter Towns, Braden Smith, and Morrison each recorded multiple-hit performances.
Spearfish also showed discipline at the plate, drawing eight walks. Betanco, Towns, and Smith each worked two free passes.
Giovanni Casas earned the victory in relief, throwing two hitless and scoreless innings while striking out three. Starter Carter Baete worked four innings, allowing six runs, five earned, on eight hits while striking out five. Joseph Cook added two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, surrendering just two hits.
Capital City finished with 12 hits in the loss. Fassbender paced the Aviators’ offense with three hits in three at-bats, while Curt Heath, Ryan Deveraux, and Cahill each recorded multiple hits. Byrd drove in two runs, and Heath added two stolen bases.
Capital City starter Nick Castellanos took the loss after allowing eight runs, seven earned, over 3⅓ innings.
With the win, Spearfish wins the four-game series. The Sasquatch and Aviators are scheduled to meet again Thursday in Spearfish in the final game of the series.
