RAPID CITY - Brandon Kiewel and the rest of his Rapid City Central teammates went to Mississippi recently to play some baseball with the hopes of honing their skills and getting in some ball games prior to the start of their season.

What Brandon got is something that he will remember for the rest of his life.

After playing five games in three days, he was offered a full-ride scholarship to East Mississippi Community College, in Scooba, Miss., to play baseball for the Lions for the next couple of years.

"Coach Cranford had been in contact with Coach Montgomery over the winter, so they knew a little about me and some of the other guys on the team," Kiewel said.

"I didn't find out about the scholarship until after we were done playing our last game. It's really just starting to soak in."

Brandon's parents were nearly as surprised as he was upon hearing the news.

"We knew back here about it before he did," said his mother, Theresa. "We are very appreciative of Central coaches Cranford and Wilkerson for making it happen."

His father, Fred, found out from a friend who had read about it in the newspaper.

"It's an opportunity to play the sport he loves and get an education; it's a fabulous opportunity for him."

When asked if he would take a different approach to his last season playing ball in Rapid City, Brandon said it would be business as usual except that he won't be able to play softball with his dad after the baseball season ends this year.

"I will be playing ball this spring and then in the summer with my friends and teammates. Hopefully, we can be pretty competitive and win some games."

"There's certain things a coach looks for in a player," said Central head coach Jerry Cranford.

"We had been talking to East Mississippi and Coach Montgomery since last November about Brandon and some of the other kids on the team. He needed a shortstop and liked what he saw in Brandon."

"Brandon is a great kid, you couldn't ask for a player with a better attitude than his," Cranford said.

"He is always upbeat and very positive around the field, plus the fact that he is so easy to coach."

The Central High School senior, who plays shortstop and pitches, has played the past two years with the Central High School club team (baseball is not yet recognized by the South Dakota High School Activities Association) and with Rapid City Post 320 the past three summers.

The Central coaches hope to get more exposure and opportunities for their players in the future.

"We are very excited and happy for Brandon. He is very deserving. Hopefully there will be a lot more opportunities like this for others in the future," Cranford said.

Brandon hopes to teach and coach once his playing days are done. Hopefully, that will be a few years down the road though.

"I have always dreamed of playing major league baseball," Brandon said. "I just want to make the most out of this opportunity and be the best that I can and see where that takes me."