Troubling start

• Ben Herauf

Courtesy Photo by Kyle Steffan Dickinson Roughriders first baseman Ben Herauf, back, toes the bag as Apple Valley's Andy Schwantes stretches for first during the opening round of the Central Plains Region on Thursday at Veterans Field in Minnetonka, Minn.

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MINNETONKA, Minn. — As good as the Dickinson Roughriders have been at the plate this season, it was no match for Dylan Pritchard.

The Apple Valley (Minn.) 76ers pitcher was lights out on the mound, holding Dickinson’s high-powered offense to just five hits in Apple Valley’s 6-1 victory in the first round of the Central Plains Regional on Thursday at Veterans Field.

Dickinson drops into the loser-out bracket and meets South Dakota state champion Rapid City Post 22 at 8 a.m. Apple Valley, Minnesota’s state runner-up, moves on to face Festus Post 253, Missouri’s state champion, at 2 p.m. today.

Dickinson struggled against Pritchard, who allowed one unearned run in nine effective innings, walking one, hitting one and fanning 13 batters.

Dickinson trailed 5-0 after seven innings when Caleb Burgard singled to lead off the inning and Eric Seiler reached on error. Stephen Laylock reached on a fielder’s choice and No. 3 hitter Cole Frenzel followed with single to right field to load the bases. With two outs, Tyler Steffan walked in the Roughriders’ only run. Michael Steve grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.

The Riders left the bases loaded in the first inning as Pritchard struck out the final two batters of the inning to get out of the jam. Dickinson stranded eight runners total.

Apple Valley took a 1-0 lead with a run in the third and added three more in the fourth. They scored a single run in the sixth and eighth innings.

Laylock, Dickinson’s ace, was tagged for five earned runs on 11 hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out two.

Dickinson (38-10) was led at the plate by Ben Herauf, who finished 2-for-4.

The 76ers (39-9) had five players with multiple hits including designated hitter Nate Mowry, who finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored, a run batted in and a stolen base.

Dickinson 000 000 010 — 1 5 1

Apple Valley 001 301 01x — 6 13 2

Stephen Laylock, Ben Herauf (8) and Michael Steve. Dylan Pritchard and Aaron Gretz. W–Pritchard. L–Laylock.

Highlights: D, Herauf 2-for-3, Tyler Steffan 1-for-3, RBI, walk. AV, Pritchard 9 IP, R, 0 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, HB, 13 K; Nate Mowry 3-for-3, 2 2Bs, RBI, 2 runs, SAC; Jordan Buck 2-for-4, 2 runs, RBI.

Tags: legion baseball, central plains regional, sports, roughriders