By Alan Van Ormer
Tribune editor

The two amateur baseball teams in Dell Rapids opened the Class ‘B’ Amateur Baseball Tournament in Mitchell with convincing shutout victories.
Defending champions, Dell Rapids Mudcats, pummeled Volga, 15-0, and Dell Rapids PBR was equally as impressive, stomping Winner-Colome, 14-0.
Both teams advanced to second round games. Highlights will be included in next week’s issue.
Mudcats 15, Volga 0
Mudcats coach Jim Wilber said the team was happy to play because of the torrential downpours that had hit the Mitchell area on Thursday evening. The team volunteered to play at Drake Field, which is near Cadwell Park, to get the game in.
“The Mitchell crew did a great job of getting the game going,” Wilber said. “We were ready to play. We played about as good a game as we’re going to play offensively.”
Pete Wilson provided the scoring punch in the first inning by blasting a three-run homer to give the Mudcats a 3-0 lead. In the second inning, Matt Wilber had a two-run single to make it 5-0. Eric Stoll knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly.
In the third inning, the Mudcats exploded for six runs to break the game wide open.
The game was called in the sixth inning because of the 15-run rule.
Along with the offensive production, Wilber was satisfied with the defensive effort of his team and the pitching of the Mudcats that got into the game.
“Travis Peters at shortstop had some terrific plays,” he said. “Matt Wilber pitched the first five innings and kept them off balance. Dan Gacke closed it down.”
Wilber allowed one hit and struck out six in five innings of work.
Offensively, Nate Henry had a double and a home run, knocking in four runners. Pete Wilson had a single to go with his home run and Peters had a single and two doubles, scoring four runs.
The Mudcats played Mount Vernon on Monday night.
Dell Rapids PBR 14,
Winner-Colome 0
Co-manager Bruce Mogen said he was impressed with the team’s patience against a young pitching staff. “Because the PBR hitters waited him (Derek Graesser) out, we were able to get some good pitches we could hit,” he said. “We had a lot of extra base hits because of that.”
Landon Klock and Dan Conrad each had three doubles to lead the way for PBR. Klock had four RBIs. In the seventh inning, Jeff Friman blasted a home run for Dell Rapids.
Eight of the 11 total hits were for extra bases.
Mogen went the first six innings for PBR. Jordan Johnson handled the seventh inning. The game was called after seven because of the 10-run rule.
Mogen said the key for him was making the first pitch a strike to almost every batter.
“I never got behind hitters,” he said. “That is how I approach it.”
Defensively, the team made only one error and the two pitchers allowed no walks in the game.
“Our experience helped in the victory; particularly with the patience of the hitters,” Mogen said. “We just wanted to make sure their pitchers threw strikes and we took swings at pitches we should. That approach made a big difference.”
Next up is Dimock-Emery at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Cadwell Park. Dimock-Emery comes into the game with a 25-7 mark during the season. The team finished in third place in the Sunshine League with a 15-4 mark.
“They have a nice mix of veterans and young players,” Mogen said.