The Aberdeen Smittys overcame a sour defeat with a sweet shutout victory Wednesday night at Fossum Field.

After surrendering a five-run lead in a 12-8 first-game setback to Sioux Falls East, Aberdeen won the second game 7-0 as Zane Backous tossed a complete-game two-hit shutout in American Legion baseball action.

Smittys coach Brandon Kusler was pleased with the way his team bounced back after a frustrating opening contest.

“That’s a really good team. Finding a way to split with a team like that is always huge. That’s a win right there that’s going to set you up for success later in the season,” Kusler said. “They’re a good team. A team that I would say is the best team in the state right now. So being able to find a way to respond the way we did after game one, that’s just big time.”

So was the effort of Backous, who kept the East hitters off stride the whole second game. Backous allowed just two singles and walked only one batter. He said the goal was go right at the potent Sioux Falls lineup.

“Attack, I mean just throw strikes,” Backous said, “make them get themselves out.”

Many of the outs were of the pop-up or short fly ball variety. Backous said there was a reason for that.

“I think that comes with how much I throw my curveball. I throw my curveball quite a bit, not quite as much as my fastball, but it’s about the same,” Backous said. “When I throw that curveball, more often guys tend to try to get under it a little bit more. Then when I throw a fastball, they’re under it too much and they end up flying out.”

Backous got plenty of help in the field as the Smittys made one play after another and did not make a single error.

“My defense was perfect tonight,” Backous said. “You can’t ask for anything better than that.”

He also got plenty of run support as the Smittys put up five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Phillip Zens plated the first two on a double, Andrew Ristau-Richardson followed with an RBI single, and the other two runs scored on bases-loaded walks by Brendan Livermont and Backous.

“The guys responded right away from the get go,” Kusler said. “To be able to come out and score five there in the first like we did, that sets you up for some success. And then to hang onto that lead and Zane continuing to throw strikes and challenge hitters, that’s what gets it done.”

Jaiden Smith drove in the final two runs with a double in the fifth.

The win was a stark contrast to the first game where Aberdeen produced 15 hits, six for extra bases, but still came up short. The Smittys gave up six walks and four hits in a seven-run fifth inning that proved costly. Aberdeen also left 13 runners on base, including a bases-loaded nobody-out occasion in the sixth inning.

Drew Salfrank, Zens and Smith each finished with three hits. Backous and Vining both drove in two runs for the Smittys, who scored in each of the first five innings of the contest.

Aberdeen, 16-9, now takes a break before heading out west where it will play in Rapid City on Monday and Sturgis on Tuesday.

“We need a little time off before we get going on Monday,” Kusler said. “Guys need to get healthy and just rest and recover.”

The Smittys will go into the trip with a lot better mood thanks to a convincing game-two performance against a quality foe.

“I mean a split’s good. It hurts to not have that (first) one back,” Backous said. “It was our game for the taking, but at least you come out with some positivity out of the day.”

Sioux Falls East 200 072 1 – 12 11 3

Aberdeen Smittys 221 210 0 – 3 15 2

L. Vasgar, D. Rippentrop (4), Tate Schaefer (5) and Brayden Olson, Andrew  Glovich (4); Casey Vining, Jaiden Smith (5) and Andrew Woehl. 2B – Sioux Falls East, Rippentrop, Myles Rees; Aberdeen Smittys, Smith 2, Brendan Livermont, Vining, Zane Backous. 3B – Aberdeen Smittys, Phillip Zens.

Sioux Falls East 000 000 0 – 0 2 0

Aberdeen Smittys 500 020 x – 7 7 0

Chase Dubois, D. Rippentrop (6) and Tristan Fitzsimmons; Zane Backous and Andrew Ristau-Richardson. 2B – Aberdeen Smittys, Phillip Zens, Casey Vining, Jaiden Smith.