PARKSTON — After a disappointing inaugural season the Parkston Devil Rays have found a spark to start the 2024 season.

Winning just five games in the 2023 season and opening with back-to-back losses this year, the Devil Rays went on a six-game winning streak before falling short against a tough Platte Killer Tomato team just yesterday..

A manager and player for the Devil Rays, Landon Sudbeck, credits this season's early success to last season’s learning.

“The biggest takeaway from our first season was that it’s a learning experience. Yes, you don’t want to have five wins, and maybe we wanted to make it a little farther than we did,” Sudbeck said. “But we took a lot of valuable lessons that we’re using this year. The biggest thing is the fundamentals of baseball. Throwing strikes, hitting the ball, and making plays.”

A big improvement from last season has been pitching, giving up just 12 earned runs in their six wins this season, Sudbeck says has been a key part to their success.

“I believe our pitching staff can go six or seven pitchers deep with guys that throw pretty hard for amateur baseball,” Sudbeck said. “With our depth I think we’re one of the deeper teams, I’d go as far as saying in the state with our pitching staff if we’re throwing strikes. You combine that with a young defense that we’ve got behind them, that’s the biggest factor.”

Jake Helleloid and Ty Nuegebauer have had excellent starts to their 2024 seasons with the Rays, with Helleloid striking out 43 batters in 22 innings allowing just five earned runs while Neugebauer has allowed just three earned runs in 16 innings, striking out 30.

But the newest recruit for the Devil Rays has added some extra depth in the pitching staff and at the plate, as Northern State baseball player Dylan Soulek joins the team.

“Dylan’s been great for us, we have complete confidence in him along with everyone else on the team” Sudbeck said. “He’s just a competitor. He’s a very intense player which is great to have in the dugout and on the field and he’s able to contribute a lot whether it’s on the mound, defensively, or even at the plate.”

Soulek has thrown 13 innings thus far, allowing five earned runs while striking out 23 to fill in as an excellent No. 3 pitcher in the rotation, while having an on-base percentage of .400 including a home run and a double in seven games.

Other guys in offense have been just as effective in getting guys on base and getting baserunners in as well. Helleloid, another Northern State player, has led the charge batting .435 with three doubles and two triples, while drawing seven walks in seven games played. 

A third member of the Northern State baseball team, Jonah Schmidt, has provided excellent pop and athleticism, batting .318 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in just six games played this season.

But the Devil Rays know spots for the state amateur baseball tournament aren’t clinched in May, but are hoping this early success helps build confidence heading into the heart of the season.

“We’re in a tough league, we know that. We’ve kind of been in this same spot before, in terms of last year when we got off to a hot start,” Sudbeck said. “But if we don’t come ready to play each and every game, we can get beat each and every game.”

Irene Cardinals use different approach to league schedule

IRENE — After a two-year hiatus from the baseball diamond, the Irene Cardinals are back for the 2024 season.

Members of the South Central League, the Cardinals have taken an interesting approach to the makeup of their league schedule.

A usual league schedule for amateur baseball has teams playing two nights a week, a Thursday night and Sunday afternoon or evening game.

But this season the Cardinals will play each league member on Sunday’s in two, seven-inning games.

The manager of the Irene Cardinals, Mike King, approached the league to schedule games this way because worries of not being able to fill a team twice a week arose.

“The only reason I asked was because, originally, I thought we were going to have a bunch of older guys that didn’t want to commit two nights a week,” King said. “Then when we filled the team out, everyone was 30 or younger, and we didn’t get any older guys.”

With the request of Sunday doubleheaders, King said the league would rather have a team in than not, so they approved the schedule.

Irene had their first double header league games on May 26, falling short in both games to the Wynot Expos.

The Cardinals are back in action this Sunday against the Lesterville Broncs in a 4 p.m. home doubleheader.

But this style of schedule won’t be going away after this season, the Cardinals will also be in this same situation for the 2025 season.

“We have a two-year deal with that,” King said. “After that if we still have a lot of young guys around to do it, then I’m sure we’ll go back to the Thursday and Sunday games.”

Games to watch this weekend

Alexandria Angels at Platte Killer Tomatoes

The 4-1 Alexandria Angels go on the road to face a red hot Killer Tomato team on Sunday at the Tomato Patch. Despite not scheduling a non-league game, Platte has looked incredible through their first four games and look to continue the undefeated season with a win over an always tough Alexandria Angels team. 

Canova Gang at Hartford-Humboldt Gamecocks

The defending state champions head to Humboldt Sunday for a double header with the Gamecocks after a dominant 16 run victory over the Flandreau Blue Teal on Thursday, including a two home run, six RBI day by Jared Miller. On the other hand, H/H could jump out with a little more energy having last played 10 days ago.

Akron Rebels at Parker Ringnecks

The first game of the season for both teams, and the first game in the team’s history for the Parker Ringnecks on Sunday. A lot of mystery is involved here for both teams, but most importantly, what will this new amateur team from Parker look like?