The Dell Rapids High School baseball team defended their title and claimed the 2022 South Dakota High School Baseball Association State B championship for the second year in a row.  Dell Rapids defeated Dakota Valley 11-5 on Wednesday, June 1st at Canary Stadium.  The final score does not tell the story of this game.  This year’s championship game was a close, tense battle between the two teams.

Runs Come Fast and Furious in First Two Innings

The two teams combined for nine runs in the first two innings, and it seemed offense might be the story of the game.  Dell Rapids scored four times in the top of the first inning.  Brayden Pankonen reached on an error and then scored  on an error.  Jack Henry had a two-run triple and then scored on an RBI ground out by Aiden Boechler.  Dakota Valley got a run after a fly ball single and diving attempt by Pankonen.  Pankonen was able to recover and throw a runner out at home for the last out of the inning.

After Dell Rapids went down in order in the top of the second, Dakota Valley scored four times in the bottom of the inning with two outs.  The Panthers got a single followed by two walks to load the bases.  A triple cleared the bases to tie the game, and then a double gave Dakota Valley a 5-4 lead.

Pitching and Defense Takes Over

After the nine quick runs in the first two innings, pitching and defense took control of the game for the next few innings.  The two teams combined for just two hits and just four base runners over the next three innings.  The score remained 5-4 in favor of Dakota Valley heading to the top of the sixth inning.

Dylan Mathis started the Dell Rapids sixth inning with a single.  Mathis was able to steal second, and then advanced to third on a sacrifice fly by Henry.  Boechler brought home Mathis on an RBI ground out to first base to tie the game 5-5.

Pitching and defense continued to be the story.  Dakota Valley got two singles in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Pankonen picked off one runner at first and kept the Panthers off the board.  Dell Rapids went down in order in the top of the seventh.  The Panthers got a one-out single, but a caught stealing and strikeout ended a threat, and the game went to extra innings.

Extra Innings

Dell Rapids looked to have a rally started in the top of the eighth inning after a one-out single by Henry, but Henry was caught stealing second.  Boechler drew a two-out walk, but was left at first base.  Pankonen dazzled on the mound striking out five in a row between the eighth and ninth innings.  Dell Rapids got a lead-off single by Will Jaton in their half of the ninth.  CJ  Smith moved him over to second on a sacrifice bunt, but a line out and fly out ended the Dell Rapids threat.

The tenth inning didn’t go the way Dell Rapids would have liked offensively.  They again were retired in order, but the pitching and defense continued to be strong.  After a one-out single, Pankonen got a strikeout and another pick off to end the inning and send the game into the eleventh.

Offense Comes Alive Again

The Dell Rapids offense came alive in the top of the eleventh inning.  Boechler beat out an infield single to start the inning.  Mason Stubbe was hit by a pitch.  After a strikeout, Smith reached on an error by the second baseman that also scored Boechler.  Treyse Eastman popped out to the pitcher for the second out, but Dell Rapids did not let the rally stop.  Pankonen doubled scoring two runs.  Landon Ruesink had an RBI triple, and Mathis added an RBI single for a 10-5 lead.  Henry reached on an error, and Boechler had another infield single that brought home the sixth run of the inning.

Dakota Valley got a lead-off walk to start their half of the eleventh inning, which ended the night on the mound for Pankonen.  Ruesink struck out the first batter he faced, and then got the next batter to ground out in a double play to end the game and win the championship.

Game Stats

Mathis had four hits, one a double, and an RBI.  Boechler had two singles and three RBIs.  Henry had two hits, one a triple, and two RBIs.  Pankonen had a double and two RBIs.  Ruesink finished with a triple and an RBI.  Jaton had two singles, and Mason Stubbe had a hit.

Eastman started the game on the mound pitching 1 2/3 innings allowing five earned runs on three hits and four walks with one strikeout.  Pankonen got the win pitching 8 1/3 innings in relief allowing six hits and one walk while striking out 10.  Ruesink pitched one inning with one strikeout.

Pankonen was named the game’s MVP.

Dell Rapids championship season ends with an 18-2 record.

The Dell Rapids High School baseball team is headed back to the State B title game after a 7-0 win over Madison in the semifinals at Canary Stadium on Tuesday, May 31st.  Another strong performance both offensively and defensively has Dell Rapids one game away from back-to-back championships.

In what’s been a common theme most of the season, Dell Rapids got on the board first.  Brayden Pankonen reached on a walk to start.  He then stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher.  Landon Ruesink then brought him home on an RBI ground out for an early 1-0 lead.

Dell Rapids added two more runs in the bottom of the third.  Dylan Mathis had an RBI single scoring Ruesink.  Mathis later scored on an error for a 3-0 advantage.  The big blow by Dell Rapids came in the bottom of the fourth.  Treyse Eastman had an RBI single.  Pankonen followed with an RBI single.  Mathis brought home another run with a base hit to left field, and Jack Henry delivered an RBI single to push the lead to 7-0.

Starting pitcher Tad Tjaden gave Dell Rapids everything they hoped for on the mound.  Tjaden pitched six innings allowing just three hits and four walks while striking out nine.  Will Jaton pitched a scoreless seventh inning while walking one and striking out one.

Mathis had two hits and two RBIs.  Henry also had two hits with an RBI.  Ruesink finished with a triple and an RBI.  Pankonen and Eastman both had a single and an RBI.  CJ Smith added a double in the game.

Dell Rapids will play Wednesday, June 1st at 6:05 p.m. against Dakota Valley for the 2022 South Dakota High School Baseball Association State B title at Canary Stadium.

Dell Rapids took a step closer to defending their 2021 title with an opening round win in the 2022 State B Tournament on Monday, May 30th in Sioux Falls.  They got two big hits in the fourth inning and had a strong day on the mound in a 3-1 win over Parkston.

Dell Rapids put the pressure on Parkston, who was the last team to beat Dell Rapids, right away in the bottom of the first inning.  Brayden Pankonen and Dylan Mathis both had singles.  After Pankonen stole third base, he scored on a balk for a 1-0 lead.

Parkston tied the game in the top of the third inning without a hit, taking four walks in the inning.  Dell Rapids’ big hits came in the bottom of the fourth inning.  Jack Henry started the inning with a walk.  Aiden Boechler hit a double to right field, but didn’t see that Henry was being held at third.  In a bit of confusion for the Parkston defense with Boechler nearing third base, Henry took off for home and scored safely.  Boechler was also safe at third.  Mason Stubbe followed with an RBI single for a 3-1 Dell Rapids lead.

Stubbe had two hits and an RBI.  Boechler finished with a double.  Pankonen, Mathis, Will Jaton, CJ Smith, and Treyse Eastman all had singles in the game.  Henry earned the win on the mound pitching four innings while allowing an earned run on one hit and seven walks with eight strikeouts.  Pankonen pitched 2 1/3 innings allowing two hits and a walk with one strikeout.  Landon Ruesink pitched the final 2/3 of an inning.

Weather Delays Tournament

This was the only opening round game that was able to be played.  The rest of the games were postponed due to weather.  Dell Rapids will play the winner of Madison vs Platte-Geddes at 2:05 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31st.

Updated Schedule for Tuesday, May 31st:

• 10:00 a.m. – Ronken Field:  West Central vs Dakota Valley
• 12:00 p.m. – Ronken Field:  Winner/Colome vs Redfield
• 12:05 p.m. – Canary Stadium:  Madison vs Platte-Geddes
• 2:05 p.m. – Canary Stadium:  Dell Rapids vs Winner of Madison/Platte-Geddes
• 5:35 p.m. – Canary Stadium:  Winners of games at Ronken Field

Wednesday, June 1st – 6:05 p.m.:  Championship game at Canary Stadium

The Dell Rapids High School club baseball team is headed back to the State B Tournament after winning two games at Rickeman Field on Monday, May 23rd and Tuesday, May 24th in the Region 3B Tournament. 

Dell Rapids 10, McCook Central 0

Dell Rapids defeated McCook Central 10-0 in the opening round of the Region 3B Tournament on Monday, May 23rd.  Dell Rapids scored in every inning and held McCook Central to just four hits.

Dell Rapids scored four times in first inning.  Brayden Pankonen scored on a balk, Aiden Boechler had a two-run single, and Will Jaton added an RBI single.  They scored three more times in the bottom of the second.  Landon Ruesink had an RBI single, and Jack Henry had a two-run double.  The scoring continued with two more in the third.  Ruesink and Dylan Mathis both had RBI doubles.  Jaton drove home the final run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth.

Ruesink had two hits, one a double, and two RBIs.  Boechler had two hits and two RBIs.  Henry had a double and two RBIs.  Mathis had a double and an RBI.  Jaton added a single and two RBIs.  Pankonen also had a hit.  Tad Tjaden pitched all five innings allowing four hits and three walks while striking out three batters.

Dell Rapids 6, Lennox 3

Dell Rapids scored three runs late in the game to secure a 6-3 victory over Lennox to punch their ticket to the state tournament on Tuesday, May 24th.

Lennox got on the board first in the top of the first inning with two innings.  Dell Rapids responded with three runs in the bottom of the first.  Boechler had an RBI sacrifice fly, and Jaton had a two-run double to give Dell Rapids a 3-2 lead after the first inning.  Lennox tied the game on an error in the top of the third.

The score remained 3-3 until the bottom of the fifth.  Henry scored on an error with two outs to give the lead back to Dell Rapids.  Dell Rapids added another run in the fifth when Boechler scored while Mason Stubbe was caught in a run-down.  Pankonen gave Dell Rapids another run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI bunt single.

Jaton finished with a hit and two RBIs.  Pankonen had a hit and an RBI.  Treyse Eastman had a triple, and Mathis had a single.  Henry took the win on the mound pitching six innings allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits and four walks with seven strikeouts.  Pankonen pitched the final inning allowing one hit and striking out two.

Dell Rapids will look to defend their title at the state tournament in Sioux Falls on Monday, May 30th and Tuesday, May 31st.  Dell Rapids will play Parkston in the opening round at 12:00 p.m. on Monday.  Parkston was the last team to beat Dell Rapids, 8-4, on April 27th.