DELL RAPIDS NEWS
Dells wins 1st state title
Micah Bader
mbader@argusleader.com
After a loss against eventual Class A state champion Sioux Falls Roosevelt, the Dell Rapids baseball team reeled off 14 straight wins and capped the season with its first ever Class B state title.
"It's been awesome," said Dells first-year coach Dan Miller. "They're just really good kids, they work really hard and it's just so much fun to be a part of it."
In the postseason, Dells (19-4 overall) scored 10 or more runs in four of five games and outscored opponents by a combined score of 50-7.
"We really strive to hit the ball hard, put it in play and not strike out as much," said Dells senior third baseman Nate McKee.
The only postseason game the team didn't score 10 more runs in was a 7-0 win over Vermillion Monday, May 29, in the Class B state championship game.
To qualify for the title game, Dells beat Chester/Colman-Egan/Flandreau 11-1 in the Region 2B quarterfinals, Sioux Valley 11-0 in the semifinals and Deuel/Hamlin//Castlewood 10-1 in the finals.
The state tournament was a final-four format, where Dells toppled West Central 11-5 in the semifinals on the same day as the championship game.
Although Dells wasn't able to show the depth of its bullpen because of the format, Miller said he was pleased with the pitching of Josh Roemen, Eddie Price and Trevor Pulscher.
"The one-day tournament probably wasn't the best scenario for our team because we have so much pitching depth, but the guys that did get throw did awesome," Miller said.
After qualifying for the state tournament the last two seasons, Dells got off to a rocky start this year. The team lost three of its first four games and had a 5-4 record after the loss to Roosevelt.
However, three of those losses were against Class A teams: Roosevelt, Sioux Falls Lincoln and Sioux Falls O'Gorman.
"I'm really glad Bruce (Mogen) schedules that because they see good pitching," Miller said. "Roosevelt, they're a great team, and that was a turning point for us."
When it came time for the state tournament, Dells players weren't fazed.
"(Pitching) was a little slower at regions, but when we got here it picked up a bit, and we were ready for it," said McKee.
Against West Central, Dells jumped out to a nine-run lead and held off a three-run seventh-inning rally.
Josh Roemen earned the win on the hill after six innings. He struck out three batters and allowed five walks, five hits and four earned runs. Eddie Price pitched the final inning and didn't allow a run.
Roemen also led Dells at the plate with three hits, three runs scored and two RBIs. Elijah Story, Price, McKee and Matt Gillogly also had multiple hits.
In the championship game, Pulscher pitched a complete seven-inning shutout with four strikeouts, five hits and no walks.
Pulscher said the run support and strong defense reduced pressure on the rotation.
"You've always got runs to lean back on, and you know your defense is going to pull through," he said.
Carter Gullickson led Dells at the plate with three hits, including a pair of doubles.
Scoring began when Seth Anderson drove in three on a first-inning double, and the team never looked back.