Sean Williams/MDN New Souris Valley pitcher Joel Barker debuted on Wednesday night, earning the win in a 10-0 victory over the Pierre Trappers.

Although far from a blackjack table in Vegas, the number 21 signified the Expedition League-leading and defending champion Souris Valley Sabre Dogs getting one win richer Tuesday night as they notched a 12-2 victory over the Pierre Trappers at Corbett Field. Like a train through Minot, the Sabre Dogs have seemed unstoppable as of late, extending their current winning streak to 17 games and improving their league-best record to 21-1 on the season.

Just 19 games away from the Expedition League All-Star Game in Pierre, Souris Valley boasts a roster loaded with possible selections for this year’s contest.

Both individually and as a whole, many of the head-turning statistics for the Sabre Dogs this season mirror those found only in video games.

According to numbers compiled and analyzed by GameChanger, Souris Valley came into Wednesday night’s game with a team batting average of .378, along with amassing 206 RBIs thus far. Additionally, they have tallied a total of 285 hits, of which 177 were singles, 68 doubles, 7 triples, and 33 home runs. Astonishingly, these numbers swelled dramatically over the course of their latest six-game road-trip where Souris Valley outscored their opponents 61-11 in an offensive extravaganza.

Furthermore, contributing to the Sabre Dogs’ offensive success as a team, while also orchestrating an outstanding story of his own, is right fielder Hunter Delanoy. Going 1-for-4 on Tuesday night and driving in two RBIs, Delanoy extended his active hitting streak to 17 games, matching the Sabre Dogs current winning streak in the Expedition League.

Kicking off year three of Sports and Jorts Night on Wednesday at Corbett Field, Souris Valley wasted no time in picking up where they left off from the previous night’s win against the Pierre Trappers.

After a scoreless first inning for both teams, the Sabre Dogs unleashed a flurry of multi-base hits, initiated by third baseman Jesus Rojas’ triple that would drive in center fielder Eddie Martinez for the first run of the game. Before the inning would conclude, Souris Valley would establish a 6-0 lead and set an unrelenting offensive tone for the rest of the contest, eventually adding four more runs over the next five innings.

In addition to the Sabre Dogs moving one step closer to padding their Expedition League lead, the second inning also witnessed Hunter Delanoy extend his hitting streak to 18 games in style with a triple that would drive in left fielder and lead-off man Luis Pelayo.

Setting out to prove that they are much more than just a well-oiled scoring machine, Souris Valley also showcased a new addition to their pitching staff, Joel Barker.

Impressive in his debut, Barker would get the start and make the most of his four innings pitched, allowing only one hit and racking up two strike-outs to secure his first win of the season in Souris Valley’s eventual 10-0 victory over the Trappers in seven innings.

Relieving Barker in the fifth inning was Tyler Elliot, who closed out the shutout for the Sabre Dogs, giving up only one hit and tossing four strikeouts over the final three innings.

For the Sabre Dogs, they continue to get top-to-bottom production from their batting lineup, accruing 13 total hits as a team in the win. Designated hitter Ben Newbert would finish the night a perfect 3-for-3 while adding two RBIs, with third baseman Jesus Rojas adding two RBIs of his own.

Heading out on the road with their sights set on extending their 18-game winning streak, Souris Valley will once again be in action against the Pierre Trappers tonight at 7:05 p.m.