The Dell Rapids PBR and Dell Rapids Mudcat rivalry returned to Dell Rapids with the return of the Dell Rapids Mudcats amateur baseball team this season. The two teams met for the first time this year on Tuesday, June 9th, for the PBR home game between these two ball clubs. The game was another classic PBR-Mudcat game Dell Rapids has grown to love.
The first eight innings were a breeze as Nate Alfson for PBR and Matt Wilbur for the Mudcats put on a great pitching dual for the fans. PBR got to Wilbur in the fourth inning for a run as Blake Harms hit an RBI double driving home Sheldon Davis for a 1-0 lead. Alfson had a no-hitter going through 6 2/3 innings, but Nate Henry broke up the no-hitter and shut out with an RBI single knocking home Kris King to tie the game at 1-1 in the seventh inning.
The score remained tied at 1-1 until the ninth inning, and that’s when things got interesting.
The first two batters for the Mudcats singled off of Alfson, and Travis Peters followed with a one-out RBI single to give the Mudcats a 2-1 lead and chase Alfson from the game. Dale Solberg came in to pitch in relief of Alfson, and Henry hit a fly ball to left center that was dropped scoring King on the error. Mark Hauck followed with an RBI single, and then Aaron Johnson hit an RBI sacrifice fly to left to score the fourth Mudcat run of the ninth inning.
Kenton Welbig entered the game as a relief pitcher in the eighth inning and went back to work in the ninth with a four-run 5-1 lead. Welbig was able to get the first two PBR batters out, and the Mudcats looked to be in control to win the first meeting between these two Dell Rapids teams. Davis drew a walk. Harms drew a walk. Drew Eldeen hit a soft line-drive to right field to load the bases. All three runners advanced on a wild pitch, making the score 5-2. Luke Holt also drew a walk to re-load the bases for PBR. Tanner Solberg followed with his fourth hit of the game, this time a two-run single to score Harms and Eldeen. PBR all the sudden pulled within a run at 5-4 with two outs and had Holt and Solberg on base. The Mudcats made a pitching change and brought in Hauck to face the veteran Bruce Mogen. After fouling off a couple of pitches, Mogen laced a line drive to right center that Jimmy Bauer could not quite reach on a diving attempt. The double drove in both Holt and T. Solberg for the win….all on two outs.
D. Solberg earned the win pitching 2/3 of an inning giving up an unearned run. Welbig took the loss pitching 1 2/3 innings giving up five runs, all earned, on three hits while walking three and striking out one. Alfson pitched 8 1/3 innings in the no-decision giving up four earned runs on five hits while striking out six and walking two. Wilbur pitched seven innings in his no-decision giving up one earned run on nine hits while striking out four.
Peters, Henry, Hauck, and Johnson all had RBIs for the Mudcats. PBR was led by T. Solberg who went 4-4 with two RBI. Mogen was 3-3 with a double and two RBI.