Austin Henry put together a dominate pitching performance against Sioux Falls Christian on Monday, May 3rd at Rickeman Field.  A. Henry threw six shutout innings allowing just one hit and four walks while striking out 16 batters.

The first inning offense was more than enough.  A. Henry helped himself with an RBI single in the bottom of the first.  Kaeden Eastman added an RBI sacrifice fly, and A. Henry later scored after Jack Henry got into a rundown between first and second base.  Dell Rapids led 3-0 after the first inning.

Dell Rapids added another run in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single by Brayden Pankonen.  The score remained 4-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning.  Dylan Mathis scored a run on an error.  Braden Fersdahl scored on an RBI groundout by Treyse Eastman, and Pankonen had another RBI single to push the lead to 7-0.  Pankonen pitched the bottom of the seventh inning, striking out one batter, to finish the game.

Pankonen was 3-4 in the game two two RBIs.  T. Eastman had two hits, including a double, with an RBI.  A. Henry and K. Eastman both had a hit and RBI.  Josh DeKnikker, J. Henry, and CJ Smith all had a hit as well.

Dell Rapids (10-5) will travel to Vermillion on Friday, May 7th.

This year’s senior class may not be very large for the Dell Rapids High School baseball team, but the two seniors are quietly having strong seasons to help lead their team.

Kaeden Eastman and Brady Larson have been a part of the Dell Rapids high school team since eighth grade.  They were a part of one the last eighth grade classes to be allowed to be on the high school team, and were in their first year in the program when Dell Rapids last won a high school state title in 2017.

Dell Rapids is currently 8-2 against Class B schools and 5-0 against Region 3 opponents through the first half of their season in the month of April.  Their losses have come against Dakota Valley at 8-1 on April 5th and Hamlin 9-5 in nine innings on April 18th.

Eastman leads the team in RBIs with 13 against Class B teams.  He has a double and a .235 batting average in nine games played.  Larson’s success is coming on the mound for Dell Rapids against Class B schools.  He’s thrown 13.1 innings in four games pitched.  Larson has allowed five runs, four earned (2.14 ERA), with six walks and 13 strikeouts.  He also has one of the best WHIPs on the team at 1.221.

Dell Rapids has a full schedule before regions begin on Monday, May 24th.  They will have nine more games between May 3rd and May 19th, weather permitting.  Dell Rapids will host Sioux Falls Christian on May 3rd.

Dell Rapids scored 11 runs in the third inning on their way to a 16-0 win over Baltic at Rickeman Field on Friday, April 30th on a beautiful night for baseball.  The game ended in the fifth inning on the 10-run rule.

Dell Rapids grabbed the early lead in the bottom of the first inning.  Brayden Pankonen had an RBI single and then scored on a dropped third strike throw to first to give Dell Rapids a 2-0 lead.  The score remained 2-0 until the bottom of the third inning.

Dell Rapids then exploded for 11 runs, sending 15 hitters to the plate in the inning.  Dell Rapids had seven hits in the inning, took four walks, and had one batter hit.  Dell Rapids then scored three more runs in the bottom of the fourth after a two run single by Josh DeKnikker and an RBI double by Tyler Tjaden.

Jack Henry had a very solid game on the mound pitching all five innings and only gave up one hit, which was not until the fifth inning.  He had only two walks and struck out 11 batters.

Treyse Eastman had three hits in the game, two of them doubles, and two RBIs.  Will Jaton had two hits, one a double, and two RBIs.  Tjaden had a double with an RBI.  Kaeden Eastman had a hit with three RBIs.  DeKnikker had a hit with two RBIs.  Landon Ruesink, Pankonen, and Austin Henry all had a hit with an RBI.  Brady Larson also had an RBI.

Dell Rapids (9-5) will host Sioux Falls Christian on Monday, May 3rd.