By Jon Akre

605 Sports

The Class B state baseball tournament is May 31-June 1 at Augustana University. 

The eight-team field includes Dell Rapids, Madison/Chester, Howard, Bon Homme/Avon, Parkston/Ethan/Tripp, Platte-Geddes/Dakota Christian/White Lake, Mount Vernon/Plankinton/Corsica-Stickney and Rapid City Christian.

The first-round pairings include: 

Game 1: No. 4 Bon Homme/Avon vs. No. 5 Parkston/Ethan/Tripp, 11 a.m.

Game 2: No. 1 Dell Rapids vs. No. 8 Rapid City Christian, 40 minutes after Game 1

Game 3: No. 3 Howard vs. No. 6 Platte-Geddes/Dakota Christian/White Lake, 5 p.m.

Game 4: No. 2 Madison/Chester vs. No. 7 Mount Vernon/Plankinton/Corsica-Stickney, 40 minutes after Game 3 

Here’s a look at all eight teams in the field:

No. 1 Dell Rapids 

Overall Record: 25-2

Road to Sioux Falls: Defeated McCook Central/Montrose (3-0) and West Central (14-0)

Notes: After falling short in the state semifinals last season the top-seeded Quarriers are back, for a third championship since 2021. With how this team has performed this season, they look like the odds-on favorite in Sioux Falls. … Dell Rapids pitching staff is arguably the deepest in all of South Dakota high school baseball, four pitchers have thrown over 20 innings and seven have thrown 15 or more this season. Jack Henry and Tad Tjaden have seen the most work on the mound combining for 77 innings this season, the duo has only allowed five earned runs each. … At the plate it’s a similar story, Henry is leading the team with a .523 batting average and five home runs, while Mason Stubbe is at a .463 average with two home runs.

No. 8 Rapid City Christian

Overall Record: 9-7

Road to Sioux Falls: Defeated Winner/Colome (7-6) and Belle Fourche (6-3)

Notes: A surprise out of region 4B, the Comets are back in the state tournament for a second year in a row following back-to-back upset wins over the Royals and the Broncs. Rapid City Christian has found their stride as the season has progressed, winning six of their last eight games, with close losses to P-G/DC/WL and Belle Fourche. … RCC will need to rely heavily on getting quality innings on the mound out of their top guys as just three Comet pitchers have thrown double digit innings on the season. … Micaiah Griffith has been the Comets ace, allowing just 14 earned runs in 25 innings on the mound this season. … At the plate, Trevor Wilcox and all-state 2nd team selection Cayden Von Eye have had excellent years, with Wilcox batting .436 and Von Eye batting .419 with five home runs.

No. 4 Bon Homme/Avon 

Overall Record: 11-2

Road to Sioux Falls: Defeated Scotland/Menno (6-0) and Elk Point-Jefferson (18-8)

Notes: After last season's state championship loss to Tea Area, the Cavaliers have made it back to Sioux Falls. A similar team as last year, the Cavaliers will have plenty of experience on the big stage, but will be without last season's Class B player of the year, Riley Rothschadl. … This season, the pitching staff has been anchored by Landon Bares. The 2nd-team all-state selection has thrown 32 innings this season, allowing just 16 hits and four earned runs. … But arguably the Cavaliers biggest strength is their hitting. 1st-team all-stater Easton Mudder has been a slugger, hitting .574 on the year with two home runs. Behind him, Bares is hitting .460 with three home runs, Chapin Cooper with a .357 batting average with two home runs, and Jace Toupal batting .340 with three home runs.

No. 5 Parkston/Ethan/Tripp

Overall Record: 11-4

Road to Sioux Falls: Defeated Freeman/Canistota/Marion (13-0) and Dakota Valley (5-4)

Notes: Parkston/Ethan/Tripp made quite the run en route to their second state tournament in the last three seasons. After knocking off F/C/M in a dominant mercy rule victory, they scored two runs in the top of the seventh to knock off the No. 1 seed in region 1B in Dakota Valley. … Entering Sioux Falls, they will face a familiar foe in Bon Homme/Avon to open the state tournament. … P/E/T’s pitching staff is led by Carter Sommer and Taite Klumb. Sommer has been the lead guy, allowing 12 earned runs in 28.2 innings pitched, while Klumb is not far behind with seven earned runs in 24.2 innings pitched. … At the plate, Luke Bormann has been terrific, batting .474 on the season leading the team in triple(4) and tying in RBIs(15).

No. 2 Madison/Chester 

Overall Record: 14-8

Road to Sioux Falls: Defeated Elkton (3-0) and Redfield Area (5-0)

Notes: The Bulldogs record does not define how good this team is. Out of their 22 games this season, Madison/Chester is a perfect 12-0 against class B opponents. … The Bulldogs might just have the best pitching trio in all of class B high school baseball. JD Prorok has put up video game-like numbers this season, allowing just five earned runs in 35.2 innings, while striking out 88 batters. After Prorok, Quincy Kurtz has been excellent as well, giving up seven earned runs in 24.2 innings while striking out 32 batters. The final member of this pitching trio is Ben Brooks, in 23.2 innings this season, Brooks has given up 16 hits, three walks, and three earned runs while tallying 43 strikeouts. … At the plate Jordan Pedersen has led the team with a .393 batting average while Braxton Bjorklund has hit two home runs with a .327 batting average.

No. 7 Mount Vernon/Plankinton/Corsica-Stickney

Overall Record: 7-6

Road to Sioux Falls: Defeated Lennox (6-5) and Sioux Falls Christian/Sioux Falls Lutheran (4-2)

Notes: Despite entering the regional tournament as the No. 6 seed, the Padres were able to take down both Lennox and SFC/SFL in back-to-back games to advance to the state tournament. … The Padres pitching staff is led by Tyson Wentland and Isaiah Olson. Wentland, a 2nd-team all-state selection, has thrown 33.2 innings this season, giving up 12 runs while striking out 35 batters, while Olson has allowed 10 runs in 26 innings, striking out 34. … At the plate fellow 2nd-team all-stater Brady Fox has been a force, batting .444 with 10 RBIs and 11 walks in 13 games. Behind him, Wentland is batting .405 with four doubles and 15 RBIs.

No. 3 Howard 

Overall Record: 9-1

Road to Sioux Falls: Defeated Hamlin Area (15-0) and Sioux Valley (6-2)

Notes: Howard enters the state tournament having played the least amount of games this season, with just eight regular season games and two region playoff games. … The Tigers will go as far as the pitching allows it in this state tournament, as they’ve only used four pitchers the entire season. Luke Koepsell has been the ace this season, in 28.2 innings Koepsell has given up just three runs while striking out 35. Behind him, Nolan Mentele has thrown 40 strikeouts in 21.2 innings, giving up just three earned runs. … At the plate Jackson Remmers, a 2nd-team all-state selection, is batting .485 on the season with four triples and 10 RBIs. Koepsell is not far behind batting .480 with 15 runs driven in on the season.

No. 6 Platte-Geddes/Dakota Christian/White Lake

Overall Record: 8-4

Road to Sioux Falls: Defeated St. Thomas More (6-0) and Hot Springs (4-3) 

Notes: The Honkers (and Jared) are back in the state tournament earning their spot out of the wacky region 4B bracket, picking up wins over St. Thomas More and Hot Springs. … P-G/DC/WL’s pitching staff is led by Augustana signee Caden Oberbroekling, the senior 2nd-team all-state selection recorded 30.1 innings, allowing 15 runs while striking out 67 batters. Behind him is Dakota Wesleyan baseball commit Tanner Dyk, giving up 12 runs in 22 innings this season. … The Honkers have been exceptional at the plate with six players batting over .400 on the season, Jye Bailey has led the way batting .475 with 11 RBIs, while Maddux VanZee is not far behind batting .467.