Heroics only go so far for Roughriders

• Sean Kelly and Aaron Janz

Press Photo by Royal McGregor Mandan Chiefs center fielder Aaron Janz, right, slides safely into third base as the Dickinson Roughriders’ Sean Kelly reaches to make the catch on Thursday night during the fifth inning of an American Legion baseball game at Southside Municipal Ballpark.

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Dickinson has always been able to hang its hat on being a team that never gave up.

Korey Kallenbach and Luke Herauf answered their team’s need for big hits late, but the Roughriders weren’t able to come up the final clutch hit.

Despite late inning heroics, Mandan edged the Roughriders 7-6 in a non-divisional, nine-inning American Legion game on Thursday at the Southside Municipal Ballpark.

“I even noticed tonight guys stepping up, and we just feel like we are due,” Dickinson assistant coach Andy Tomanek said. “It’s almost like we are owed something already by the baseball gods. It’s got to come. These guys are playing hard and it’s going to happen.

“Hopefully it’s going to happen at the right time. We just have to believe that we can do it.”

On his first plate appearance in the sixth, Herauf turning on the first pitch from Mandan starter Kyler Vogel for a solo home run over the right-field fence.

“That’s what it takes,” Tomanek said. “We’ve been waiting for all year — that one guy to lift us up. Even if it’s different guys, we need somebody to step up for us.”

Kallenbach followed up a few batters later with a three-run double to tie the game 5-5.

Herauf gave Dickinson its second lead of the game, 6-5, in the seventh with a RBI ground out to score James Kary, who led off the inning with a double.

Mandan was aggressive on the basepaths all game and North Dakota State recruit Aaron Janz created the most havoc. Janz scored the game-winning run in the ninth after a throwing error by Dickinson catcher Mark Erickson sailed past Kary at third base.

“We emphasize that from day one,” Mandan head coach Ryne Jungling said. “We just run the bases hard and if we get thrown out, it’s not that big of a deal. That’s something we’ve always tried to do.”

Dickinson (13-24, 2-14 statewide) struck first after a Dylan Skabo leadoff double that traveled to the right-field fence. Mason Schiff drove in the shortstop with a RBI single.

But in the middle innings, it was all about the Chiefs (17-32, 5-11 statewide). Mandan built a 5-1 lead after a four-run third inning. Parker Harm capped the third inning with a two-run single, scoring Tre Kautzman and Dwight Mack.

“He’s (Harm) a guy who thinks swing, swing, swing, swing, swing and maybe there’s a take in there every once a while,” Jungling said. “You like those guys like that up in RBI situation. They are going to put the ball in play.”

The last time Vogel pitched in Dickinson was during the high school season. He didn’t record an out and allowed nine runs. Vogel was a different pitcher Thursday, throwing six innings, allowing five runs and striking out four.

“He’s a kid that goes out and battles for you,” Jungling said. “He keeps the ball around the zone and if you keep the ball around the zone, you are generally going to be in a ballgame.”

Mack pitched the seventh and eighth innings, while Tanner Schaf pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.

Huschka started for the Roughriders, throwing eight innings, allowing six runs and striking out seven. The soon-to-be senior at Dickinson High School only had trouble in the third inning, when he allowed four runs on four hits. Herauf was tagged with loss after allowing Janz’s game-winning run.

“He (Huschka) was in the zone,” Tomanek said. “We wanted the ball and that’s how we want him to be.”

The Roughriders conclude their regular season at home with a doubleheader against Williston starting at 5 p.m. today.

“We just need to be able to finish and start moving to the state tournament,” Tomanek said. “Hopefully we can get a couple (today). That’s the best thing that could happen to us right now is get a couple (today).”

See box score in the Scoreboard on Page 10.

Mandan 004 010 011 — 7 9 5

Dickinson 100 004 010 — 6 9 5

Kyler Vogel, Dwight Mack (7), Tanner Schaff (9) and Tre Kautzman. Alex Huschka, Luke Herauf (9) and Brady Dutchak, Mark Erickson. W–Mack. L–Herauf. HR–Herauf.

Highlights: M, Parker Harm 2-for-4, 3 RBIs; Mack 2-for-5, RBI; 0-for-2, 2 runs; Jared Walters 2-for-4; Brady Zittleman 1-for-3, RBI, run. D, Korey Kallenbach 1-for-5, 3 RBIs; Dylan Skabo 2-for-3, 2B; Aaron Berg 2-for-4, run.

Records: M 17-32, 5-11 statewide, D 13-24, 2-14.

Tags: dickinson roughriders, mandan chiefs, legion baseball, sports, baseball