Alex Eisen/MDN Heavy rain comes down at Corbett Field on Tuesday evening to postpone an Expedition League baseball game between the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs and Badlands Big Sticks.

Heading into the fifth game of the Expedition League season, there wasn’t any separation between the two frontrunners of the Lewis Division standings. The Souris Valley Sabre Dogs and the Badlands Big Sticks split their first four meetings against each other at two wins apiece.

A downpouring of rain on Tuesday decided the two budding rivals would stay tied atop of the divisional standings for at least another day.

Postponing the contest gave the players and coaches a rare day off for what is going to be a grueling 52-game regular season without many breaks. The Sabre Dogs have a two-day break on July 13-14 and another day off on July 27, but that’s it for the entirety of the summer season.

At press time on Tuesday, no announcement had been had for a make-up date for Tuesday’s postponed contest. The two teams are scheduled to play again at 7:05 p.m. this evening at Corbett Field in Minot.

Counting pitches

The cancellation of the spring collegiate baseball season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the short time given to prepare for the Expedition League season means an abundance of pitchers are being used in every game.

Strict pitch counts are being enforced to preserve the arm health of the pitchers for the duration of the season. Pitchers are being kept under 45 pitches for the first week of the season and then 60 pitches for Week 2.

The Sabre Dogs are averaging 5.5 pitching changes per game. In just four games, Souris Valley has put 19 different pitchers on the mound. No pitcher has thrown more than 3 1/3 innings.

The Sabre Dogs are second in the league with only 21 runs allowed, two runs behind the undefeated Fremont Moo going into Tuesday night.

Setian’s big stick

Badlands Big Sticks infielder Wyatt Setian has been crushing Sabre Dogs’ pitching so far this season. He leads the league with three home runs.

Add in two doubles and a single to reach Setian’s .400 batting average (6-for-15) and not to mention the seven RBIs — third-best in the league.

Setian, a native of Post Falls, Idaho, attends Montana State Billings. He had three home runs in 18 games played this spring before the collegiate season was canceled, and blasted 12 home runs as a sophomore with the Yellowjackets.

Veteran

and the rookie

The Sabre Dogs’ offense has been led by third-year Expedition League veteran Mason Dinesen and newcomer Josh Solomon. Both have hit a pair of home runs and have six hits on the season.

Solomon, out of Columbia University (New York) in the Ivy League, didn’t play in the Sabre Dogs’ season opener but quickly found his place as the No. 2 hitter in the lineup and a sturdy right fielder over the last three games. He is hitting .462 and also has three stolen bases.

Batting behind him has been Dinesen, who has recorded a hit every game and multiple RBI performances over the last three games. The Florida native shortstop is second in the league with eight RBIs.

Return of Bo

After missing the season opener, second-year returner Bo McClintock has rejoined the Sabre Dogs’ roster as the powerful clean-up hitter.

McClintock played 40 regular-season games last year with the Sabre Dogs and finished with a .281 average, 41 RBIs and seven home runs.

He competed for the Sabre Dogs in the 2019 Expedition League All-Star Home Run Derby at Corbett Field.

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.