The Dell Rapids 15/16s team has gone 1-2 in their last three games over the last eight days. Dell Rapids fell to Volga 9-6 on Friday, June 26th. Dell Rapids then defeated Madison Black 13-7 on Monday, June 29th, but a return trip to Madison saw Dell Rapids fall to Madison Maroon 4-3 on Wednesday, July 1st.
Dell Rapids held an early 1-0 lead after getting a first-inning run against Volga. Volga, however, scored the next eight runs and led 8-1 heading into the top of the sixth inning. Dell Rapids scored two runs in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to 8-3. Volga added another run in the bottom of the inning to lead 9-3 heading into the final inning. Dell Rapids scored three times, but the rally came up short.
Brayden Pankonen had two hits in the game. Even Nelsonn, Landon Ruesink, Josh Deknikker, Will Jaton, CJ Smith, and Kade Kremer each had one hit.
Dell Rapids bounced back with a 13-7 win against Madison Black. Madison scored the first two runs of the game in the bottom of the first inning, but their lead was short lived. Dell Rapids tied the game with two runs in the top of the third inning, then scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead. Dell Rapids then exploded with six runs in the fifth inning and finished the run with two runs in the top of the seventh inning for a 13-2 lead. Madison did score five times in the bottom of the seventh, but Dell Rapids held for the win.
Aiden Boechler had three hits in the game. Deknikker, Jaton, and Smith all had two hits each. Dylan Mathis, Caleb Kittelson, Austin Harvey, Matthew Goeken, Pankonen, Ruesink, Nelson, and Kremer all finished with hit each.
A return trip to Madison on Wednesday, July 1st was not as kind to Dell Rapids. Madison Maroon scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to steal a 4-3 win.
Madison scored a run in the bottom of the second inning for a 1-0 lead. Dell Rapids responded with two runs in the top of the third to take a 2-1 lead. Both teams were held scoreless until the sixth inning. Dell Rapids scored a run in the top half of the inning to extend the lead 3-1. Madison also scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the down to one at 3-2. Madison then scored two runs with one out in the bottom of the seventh for the win.
Dell Rapids was held to just five hits. Ruesink had two hits. Pankonen, Boechler, and Mathis all had one hit each.
Dell Rapids (6-5) will travel to Humboldt to play West Central on Monday, July 8th, and then hit the road again on Wednesday, July 8th to Chancellor.