The Dickinson Roughriders are quickly finding out their pitching - thought to be the team's biggest question mark heading into the American Legion baseball season - isn't so bad after all.
After winning the Class A state baseball title in the spring high school season thanks to some dominant postseason performances by its pitchers, Dickinson coaches thought it would be in a world of hurt when some of those players decided not to play summer ball for the Roughriders.
That thought has changed in the first two weeks of the Legion season.
"Playing doubleheaders every day, you've got to have at least nine guys who can throw," Dickinson coach Cory Hansen said.
With the emergence of Michael Steve, the transition of Travis Tooley from closer to starter and the late addition of ace Kyle Schroeder, the Roughriders' pitching staff is beginning to take shape.
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Tooley pitched in five games last summer, but threw only 8 1/3 innings this spring as a closer.
"It's been good this year," Tooley said. "It's just that my arm's going to take a little bit longer to get ready again. I need two to three days before I can even attempt to pitch again."
The Roughriders (6-5) have used 10 pitchers in 11 games this season. Seven have earned decisions.
Tooley is 2-0 with a team-best 1.75 ERA. Michael Steve is 1-1 with a 2.17 ERA after pitching just a handful of relief innings during the spring season.
"I'm pretty happy with his performance," Hansen said. "He just goes out there and gets after it right away. The game goes faster. He's got a good pace. You've got to have that rhythm."
Steve said he's enjoying the switch from spring reliever to summer starter.
"The thing with relieving is, you could always be called on in any game," said Steve, who will be a junior at Dickinson High next season. "With this, you know you'll never be called on at any moment to pitch."
Ross Kovacs and Stephen Laylock are both 1-0, Steve and Tommy Peters are both 1-1, Jamie Ollila is 0-1 but is taking some time away from pitching to rest an injured arm.
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Hansen said Tyler Steffan, who didn't pitch at all in the spring season, is beginning to come along after struggling in two losses.
"He had kind of a rough first outing, but in his second start, he did a great job, got ahead and threw strikes," Hansen said.
Dickinson will receive a huge boost soon when Schroeder takes the mound. The recently graduated standout was planning on having surgery on a persisting ankle injury, but reconsidered and rejoined the team on Monday.
"That's going to be a major asset, there's no doubt about it," Hansen said. "He's got senior leadership we've got to have. That'll give us a five-man rotation."
