Sean Williams/MDN – Kellan Burke (3) of Minot High looking to square up the ball during a game at Corbett Field earlier this season.

After playing in a non-conference twinbill to begin the year, the Minot High baseball team (11-5 overall, 8-4 West Region) and Dickinson High (10-5 overall, 8-2 West Region) matched up once again, but this time their doubleheader on Saturday counted towards the West Region standings.

Both teams entered play close together in the conference standings, and it would remain that way following the action, as Minot and Dickinson managed to split the games on Saturday afternoon.

In game one, Dickinson held the lead heading into the final innings. A late rally by the Magi, however, flipped the script as Minot was able to walk away with a 10-3 win.

The Magi weren’t playing from behind the entire time in game one, as they took an early 1-0 lead after Jayden Speraw reached on an error, then scored on an RBI double from Tyler Buchanan in the second inning.

Over the next two innings, Dickinson was able to counter and began holding a lead after a two-run single from Jack Price and a groundout from Landon Olson put Dickinson ahead 3-1 after four innings of play.

From there, it was all Minot as they managed to put up a combined nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 10-3 lead, which eventually proved to be enough and was the final score of game one.

An error, then an RBI single by Tyler Collins gave Minot a 4-3 lead in the fifth and once they gained the lead, they never lost it. A two-run single by Kellan Burke and an RBI single from Speraw were the other timely hits as part of the multi-inning rally that put the game out of reach.

Adam Roedocker took the mound for Minot and put forth a valiant effort to help his team get the win. Roedocker tossed seven innings, while allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits with no walks and six strikeouts.

Buchanan went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, Burke went 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI, Collins went 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI, and Speraw went 1-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Magi in game one.

In a much closer affair in game two, it was Dickinson this time that was able to push ahead and not look back after they did most of their damage in one inning. Dickinson topped Minot by a final of 4-2 in game two.

Dickinson struck first with authority in game two, with Jeremiah Jilek hitting a solo home run to left field, giving Dickinson a 1-0 lead in the second inning. One inning later, Parker Hann of Minot showed that he can do that too, as Hann hit a solo home run to right field, knotting the game at 1-1.

Mustering a strong inning that put the game out of reach, Dickinson scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. Camden Kubas was responsible for most of the damage by driving in two on a single and Davin Seibel scored on a wild pitch for the other Dickinson run.

Not wanting to call it quits yet, Minot was able to add another run in the fifth inning as they tried to pull off another comeback. Hunter Horner had a sacrifice fly to make it a 4-2 game, but ultimately, Minot’s efforts came up short as that brought the game to its final score.

Collins took the mound in game two and went the full six innings, while allowing four runs on seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

Hann led the way for Minot in game two by going 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI, followed by Easton Panasuk who went 1-for-4, Horner who went 0-for-2 with an RBI, and Carson Deaver and Noah Stenvold who each went 1-for-3.

On Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., the Magi will be at Corbett Field once again when they host St. Mary’s for another West Region showdown.