The Palace City 14U baseball squad capped its first season with a trip to the Class A state semifinals, finishing the year at 17‑28‑1 and demonstrating the promise of a program still finding its footing.
A season of firsts
The team opened the state tournament with a 9‑6 victory over Tea, a game that highlighted Preston Maeschen’s RBI triple and his subsequent two‑run double, while right‑hander Isaac Fischer limited Tea to four runs on four hits and Deyton Puetz closed out the final four outs to secure the win.
In the semifinals, Palace City faced top‑seeded Harrisburg, whose depth proved overwhelming in a 15‑5 loss; Keniel Padilla’s two‑run single was among the few bright spots for the home side.
Micah Bennett contributed heavily at the plate, reaching base three times via walks and adding two hits and two RBIs, underscoring his patience and clutch hitting throughout the weekend.
Beyond the box score, the roster featured emerging talent — Carter Buschbach, Owen Johnson, Meade Schlimgen and Gavin Auch — who helped the team post a 3‑2 record over the state tournament weekend.
Though the season ended short of a championship, the run demonstrated the potential of a young program rooted in South Dakota’s baseball tradition.