After a long, hard winter, the grass has greened up and that means it’s time again for the crack of the bats at Crofton’s Baseball Park from Crofton Bluejays South Central League baseball.
Last season, the Jays ended the season with a loss to Tabor in mid-July in the District 6B tournament in Freeman. So, going into 2023, Crofton’s Jays, a perennial SCL powerhouse, are looking to improve on their district results from last season and make a deep run into the South Dakota state tournament in August, especially with Crofton hosting the District tourney this summer in late July.
That campaign started this past week. The Jays kicked things off at home last Friday, May 5th against non-league opponent, Dimock-Emery, where the home team pounded the visitors 21-9 in a mercy-rule shortened outing.
The Jays started out strong in the first scoring four runs, and just never let off the gas. It was tied up 6-6 after three innings and 8-7 after four, but a four-run fifth inning and another nine runs in the sixth spelled doom for the visitors.
Dimock-Emery - 0 3 3 1 0 2 0 - 9
CROFTON - 4 0 2 2 4 9 - 21
On Sunday, May 7, the Jays took to the road against Parkston. Upcoming on the schedule for the Jays is another home warm up game vs. Parkston on Saturday, May 13 at 5 p.m. before the SCL schedule kicks off at home against Lesterville on Thursday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Here is the tentative Bluejays schedule for 2023. (Dates and times are subject to change)
Saturday, May 13 - Home vs. Parkson - 5 p.m.
Thursday, May 18 - Home vs. Lesterville - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 20 - Away vs. Dimock-Emery - 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 21 - Home vs. Yankton Tappers - 6 p.m.
Friday, May 26 - Away vs. Freeman - 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 4 - Home vs. Menno - 6 p.m.
Thursday, June 8 - Home vs. Tabor - 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 11 - Away vs. Lesterville - 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 17 - Bluejays play in Sunshine League Classic TBD
Sunday, June 18 - Away vs. Wynot - 6 p.m.
Thursday, June 22 - Home vs. Freeman - 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 25 - Away vs. Tabor - 6 p.m.
Wednesday, June 28 - Home vs. Akron - 7:30 p.m.
Monday, July 3 - Home vs. Wynot - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 6 - Away vs. Tappers - 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 9 - Away vs. Menno - 6 p.m.
Wednesday, July 12 - Away vs. Akron - 7:30 p.m.
July 20-29 - District Tournament at Crofton
Aug. 2-13 - State Tournament at Mitchell