Dell Rapids traveled to Dakota Valley for a high school baseball make-up game on Monday, April 5th.  Dakota Valley used two big innings to earn an 8-1 victory in the game.

Dell Rapids got on the board first taking advantage of three straight walks.  Brayden Pankonen, Jack Henry, and Landon Ruesink all drew a walk to start the game.  Kaeden Eastman drove home Pankonen on an RBI groundout to give Dell Rapids a 1-0 lead.

Dakota Valley scored three times in the bottom of the third inning after Dell Rapids made two errors in the inning.  Dakota Valley led 3-1 after three innings.  They would add four more runs in the bottom fifth.  Three walks, two hits, a hit batter, and an error given up by Dell Rapids led to the four runs.  The final run was scored in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Landon Ruesink had the only hit in the game for Dell Rapids. Pankonen started the game on the mound pitching 2 1/3 innings giving up two runs, neither of them earned, on one hit with three strikeouts.  Austin Henry pitched 1 2/3 innings giving up four runs, none earned, on one hit with four walks and four strikeouts.  J. Henry finished the game throwing two innings giving up two runs, one earned, on two hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Jake Pruchniak was dominate on the mound for Dakota Valley.  He threw six innings giving up one earned run on one hit with three walks and 14 strikeouts.  Paul Bruns pitched the final inning striking out two batters.

The Dell Rapids High School baseball team won its 2021 season opener against Tri-Valley, 7-3, on Thursday, April 1st.  This was the first game for the high school club team since the end of the 2019 season.

Tri-Valley got on the board first after getting a rally started in the top of the first inning.  The first two batters of the game reached base, and Luke Lofswold scored on an RBI groundout by Beau Keith.  Dell Rapids tied the game in the bottom of the inning.  Brayden Pankonen walked, stole second, and advanced to third on an error.  He scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to make the score 1-1.

After setting down Tri-Valley in order in the top of the second, Dell Rapids took the lead in the bottom of the inning.  Will Jaton drove home Aiden Boechler with a double to the left-centerfield gap.  Jaton later scored after Dylan Mathis got into a rundown on a steal attempt.  Dell Rapids led 3-1 after two innings.

Keith drove home another run for Tri-Valley in the top of the third after the first two batters reached to start the inning again.  Logan Colwill added an RBI single to tie the game 3-3.

Dell Rapids took the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning.  Jack Henry scored after ground ball by Austin Henry and a throwing error by Tri-Valley.  Boechler had an RBI single later in the inning to give Dell Rapids a 5-3 lead.  Boechler added another RBI single to his day in the bottom of the fifth inning, and Pankonen had an RBI groundout in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Boechler finished 2-2 with two RBIs.  Jaton was 1-3 with an RBI double.  CJ Smith was 1-1 with a triple, and A. Henry finished 1-3.  Brady Larson started the game pitching for Dell Rapids going three innings while giving up three runs, all earned, on three hits, three walks, and three strikeouts.  Landon Ruesink took the win pitching four innings of relief giving up just one hit with one walk and five strikeouts.

Dell Rapids (1-0) will travel to Dakota Valley for a 4:30 start on Monday, April 5th.