South Dakota’s baseball team from Sioux Falls returned home from the Little League World Series in Williamsport on Monday, and on Wednesday evening, the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls held a ‘welcome home’ ceremony for the squad.
Sioux Falls mayor Paul TenHaken and South Dakota US Senator John Thune were on hand to give a few words, but before the ceremony officially started, each player got their own individual introduction – in an ESPN broadcast sort of way.
It’s homecoming celebration night this evening at the @SanfordPentagon for a ceremony to honor South Dakota’s 2021 Little League baseball team.
— Nate Wek (@Nate_WekSDPB) September 2, 2021
Of course, we all know who this guy is. pic.twitter.com/rMVo3WDqyU
This year’s South Dakota little league team made it to the semifinal round before their dreams of a championship ended. Not only is this the furthest that a team from South Dakota has advanced, in five trips, but it’s also the furthest that a team from the Midwest Region has advanced.
“We got phone calls every single night of all the establishments, all of the restaurants, everything that had been sold out hours before our games. You know, I’m getting messages of marquee billboards that say ‘good luck’ to us all over town,” explained South Dakota coach Mike Gorsett. “We could feel it all the way back to Pennsylvania and you know it’s just so great to be from a community like this that supports us so much.”
South Dakota’s final game at this year’s Little League World Series was in the third-place consolation game on Sunday. Hawaii defeated South Dakota 5-0 in that game. Michigan defeated Ohio in Sunday’s championship game. For Coach Gorsett, the journey and memories of this year’s team still haven’t sunk in.
“No, I can 100% say that. To coach this team, it’s just something that I’ll never forget, I’ll never take for granted,” Gorsett stated. “Being able to be with my son out there, just words can’t describe the feeling I have.”
In South Dakota’s five trips to the Little League World Series, Sioux Falls has represented the state in the past two. Rapid City has represented the Mt. Rushmore state in the other three. And coach Gorsett feels like this could be something Sioux Falls and the state of South Dakota can continue.
“However bright the sun is, that’s about as bright as Sioux Falls future is for baseball has,” said Gorsett. “Hopefully we can continue to lay another layer of foundation of exactly what Sioux Falls baseball and little league baseball can have.”
Now that they’re all back in Sioux Falls, it’s time for all the kids to take Mayor Paul TenHaken’s advice… “boys, now it’s time for school.”