After a tough opening week, the Dickinson Roughriders needed a few days off.
The team's two-day break is the longest rest it gets until early July.
"For the most part, we've been practicing pretty hard," Dickinson head coach Andy Emard said. "We had two-a-days for a little bit."
The lull in the schedule ends with a doubleheader against the Grand Forks Royals at 5:30 p.m. today at Southside Municipal Ballpark.
After giving up 68 runs in five games, the rest is needed.
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"Both mentally and physically, they can get away and recharge their batteries." Emard said. "I think it will be a nice break for them."
Dickinson (1-4 overall, 0-2 statewide) used several pitchers over the course of four days.
With the Mandan Chiefs and the Rapid City Expos racking up big innings, Brodie Candrian, Taylor Dutchak, Taylor Kraenzel and Sean Kelly all threw more pitches this week than they did during a typical start in the past high school season.
On the bright side, Emard said Dickinson's problems on defense come from easily-preventable situations.
"If you go back and look at the big innings that teams have had, it all goes back to walks and errors," Emard said. "Baseball is not rocket science. If you take care of the baseball and not allow extra base runners, you are always going to be in the game and have a chance to win."
The Roughriders' bats could use an awakening as well.
Dickinson started the season on fire at the plate as it racked up 37 runs over three games.
Part of the offensive surge came from the long ball as Candrian hit three homers, while Caleb Burgard and Grant Dvorak had two apiece.
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The team's hitting has fizzled since then with a combined six runs in their last two games.
Despite the tough start, Emard isn't selling the players short and believes they have the confidence to turn things around.
"I think they have an understanding of where we are going wrong in the game," Emard said. "The teams that we're playing are not necessarily better than us."
New players in years past had plenty of time to learn from experience and watch how the seasoned veterans get out of slumps. This year, though, Emard said the team doesn't have that luxury.
"With everyone being new, they aren't being eased into it," Emard said. "They have to perform and have a lot to learn in a short amount of time."
