{KXLG – Watertown, SD} Following the conclusion of its baseball season, Watertown Post 17 has announced its postseason team award winners.
The honorees include: Hunter Halajian, who received the Most Improved Award; Jonathan Lake, the Iron Man Award; Jackson McClemans, the Pitching Ace Award; Carter Buisker, the Gold Glove Award for Infield; Jaxon Falak, the Gold Glove Award for Outfield; and Markus Pitkin, who was named Offensive MVP.
These players played key roles in Post 17’s postseason run, which saw the team finish tied for third at the Class A American Legion State Tournament.
After entering the tournament as the No. 10 seed, Watertown opened with a loss to top-seeded Rapid City Post 22 before fighting through the elimination bracket. The Arrows defeated Brandon Valley in a comeback victory and then shut out Rapid City Post 320, 7-0, to reach the final four.
McClemans was particularly strong on the mound during the tournament, including a seven-inning shutout against Post 320. His performance capped a standout season in which he posted a 1.22 ERA, breaking the Watertown Baseball record of 1.26 set by Spencer Waite in 1996.
Watertown’s season came to an end with an 8-0 loss to Sioux Falls West. Post 17 finished the season with a 23-17 record and tied for third at the state tournament.