BROOKINGS – A couple of big innings cost the Aberdeen Smittys in American Legion baseball action Wednesday afternoon. A six-run frame proved to be the difference in a 7-5 setback to Rapid City Post 22, and a five-run inning set the tone in an 11-1 loss to the Brookings Bandits.

The Smittys jumped in front against Rapid City scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. One run came in on an error before Phillip Zens stole home for another run.

However, Post 22 then posted a six-spot in the third inning, piecing together five of its 11 hits in that frame and taking advantage of a pair of Aberdeen errors.

The Smittys added single runs in the fifth (Casey Vining RBI single), sixth (Andrew Ristau-Richardson RBI single), and seventh (ground out), but it wasn’t quite enough.

Vining finished with two hits for the Smittys.

“I’m proud of the way we competed in game one. Drew Salfrank did a great job on the mound challenging a very good lineup,” said Smittys coach Brandon Kusler. “Just had one bad inning offensively and it cost us.”

Salfrank allowed just one earned run in seven innings of work.

While the two errors only led directly to one Rapid City run, it allowed the Hardhats extra chances and they cashed in.

“When you give a team like that extra bases and extra outs, they’re going to make you pay,” Kusler said, “and they did that in the third inning.”

Brookings scored five runs in the second inning, all with two outs, to take control in that contest. Justin Cofell had a two-run double and Parker Wingart had a two-run single for the Bandits, who scored in every inning of the 10-run victory.

Meanwhile, Aberdeen managed just two hits off of Brookings pitcher Austin Clark.

“In game two, we just got outplayed top to bottom,” Kusler said. “The Clark kid pitched it well and we didn’t have an answer for him. On the flip side, their offense was really clicking. All the damage they did in the second inning all came with two outs and that changed the entire game completely.”

The losses snapped a four-game winning streak for Aberdeen, which is now 10-7 on the season. The Smittys host Jamestown, N.D., in a twinbill starting at 5 p.m. Friday at Fossum Field.

“We just have to get back to work and turn the page,” Kusler said.

Aberdeen Smittys 200 011 1 – 5 5 4

Rapid City Post 22 006 010 x – 7 11 6

Drew Salfrank and Andrew Woehl; Pitcher’s name not available, E. Kelley (5) and Alex Dietrich. 2B – Aberdeen Smittys, Casey Vining; Rapid City Post 22, Dietrich.

Aberdeen Smittys 010 00 – 1 2 1

Brookings Bandits 153 2x – 11 11 0

Phillip Zens, Jackson Welke (4) and Andrew Woehl; Austin Clark and S. Johnson. 2B – Brookings Bandits, Justin Cofell 2. 3B – Brookings Bandits, Parker Winghart.