Dell Rapids PBR went 1-1 in the last two Cornbelt League games. PBR hosted Madison on Thursday, July 8th, and got a 7-6 com-from-behind victory. PBR then traveled to Colman on Sunday, July 11th and gave up three late runs to fall 5-2.
Madison got on the board first in Thursday’s game. Nick Bird had a solo home run in the top of the first to give Madison a 1-0 lead. PBR tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by Clarence Fjellanger. Madison regained the lead in the top of the fifth inning with two runs. They added one more in the sixth and two more in the seventh for a 6-1 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning.
PBR’s come-from-behind rally started with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. With two runners on and two outs, Carter Gullickson reached on an error which also scored Grant Sweeter and Beau Behrend. Gullickson later scored on a wild pitch. Weston Hanson had an RBI single to pull PBR within a run at 6-5. PBR then took the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. Fjellanger had an RBI single to score Brandon Geraets to tie the game. Tim Wilhelmsen reached on an error that also scored Adrian Juba for the go-ahead run. Madison got two runners on with two outs in the top of the ninth, but David Kirby was able to get a ground ball out to end the game.
Fjellanger had two hits and two RBIs. Hanson had two hits and an RBI. Riley Calhoon had a double. Riley Hoffman, Sweeter, and Behrend all had a single. Trey Randel pitched eight innings allowing six runs, four earned, on nine hits with three walks and eight strikeouts. Kirby pitched the ninth giving up two walks and striking out two.
In Sunday afternoon’s game, Colman got an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. PBR tied the game in the top of the third on an RBI sacrifice fly by Jake Rechtenbaugh. They then took the lead in the top of the fourth when Kirby had an RBI single to left field. Colman tied the game in the bottom fifth. A double in the bottom of the seventh gave Colman a 3-2 lead. Another double later in the inning pushed the lead to 5-2.
Kirby had two hits and an RBI. Gullickson had two hits, including a double. Rechtenbaugh had a single and RBI. Hanson, Behrend, Sweeteer, and Juba all had a hit. Kirby pitched six innings allowing five runs, two earned, on five hits with five walks and nine strikeouts. Rechtenbaugh pitched two innings allowing two hits while striking out five.