Photo taken and used with permission by Sara Stadem
The quest for a third straight state championship for Dell Rapids baseball took another step forward after two wins in the Region 3B tournament at Rickeman Field on Tuesday, May 23rd. Dell Rapids earned wins over Tri-Valley and Lennox to punch their ticket to the state tournament.
Dell Rapids 8, Tri-Valley 1
Runs in four straight innings led to a victory in the first game of regions. Dell Rapids got a run in the bottom of the first, two in the second, two in the third, and two more in the fourth for a 7-0 lead. Tri-Valley got a run in the top of the sixth inning, but Dell Rapids added another run in the bottom of the inning.
Brayden Pankonen had three hits and two RBIs. CJ Smith and Mason Stubbe both had three singles and an RBI each. Jack Henry finished with a triple. Joe Rechtenbaugh, Drake Eastman, and Will Jaton all had an RBI. Tad Tjaden pitched six innings allowing one earned run on four hits and four walks with 11 strikeouts. Lincoln Fersdahl pitched the final inning striking out one.
Dell Rapids 5, Lennox 3
Lennox scored the first three runs of the game, getting two in the first and one more in the top of the third. Dell Rapids then rallied in the third and fourth innings. Henry and Rechtenbaugh both had an RBI double in the bottom of the third to make the score 3-2. D. Eastman had an RBI triple, Pankonen ahd an RBI single, and Henry added an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-3 lead. Lennox had runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth, but Pankonen got a strikeout to end the inning and keep the lead. Pankonen then pitched the seventh for the save.
Henry had two hits, one a double, and two RBIs. D. Eastman had two hits, one a triple, and an RBI. Rechtenbaugh added a double and an RBI. Pankonen finished with a single and an RBI. Treyse Eastman had three hits, including a triple. Dylan Mathis added two hits, one a double. Stubbe also had a single. Henry pitched 5 2/3 innings allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks with nine strikeouts. Pankonen pitched 1 1/3 innings striking out three.
