Sabre Dogs 2021 Playoffs

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CADYN SCHWABE nears stolen base record in standout summer

By RYAN LADIKA

Sports Writer rladika@minotdailynews.com

efore suffering an injury to his left wrist at the beginning of July, Cadyn Schwabe’s 2021 summer campaign with the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs was bordering on historic.

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The outfielder had appeared in all but two of Souris Valley’s first 36 games, and on the strength of his teamand league-leading .473 batting average and .574 onbase percentage, he had accrued 40 stolen bases. The Expedition League’s single-season stolen base record of 44, set by former Sabre Dog Mason Dinesen in 2018, appeared destined to be shattered by Schwabe, who needed only four more to match the mark with over half the season remaining.

AUGUST 2021

Outfielder Cadyn Schwabe runs to third base during the Sabre Dogs' July 2 contest.

In 34 games with Souris Valley, Schwabe has accrued a team-leading 40 stolen bases, a .473 average and 12 extra-base hits.

Ryan Ladika/MDN

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AUGUST 2021 The dream came crashing down with the injury he suffered in the outfield during the Dogs’ 92 July 6 defeat to the Badlands Big Sticks. Souris Valley’s outstanding leadoff hitter has been sidelined since, anxiously hoping he can rehab his wrist back to 100 percent and return to his team before the end of the season.

“It’s still kind of up in the air,” he said during the last week of July of his chances of a possible return. “I’ve begun to throw and play catch with it, but swinging a bat is still going to need probably a week or two. I’ll talk to (head coach Alex) Miklos and see what he thinks, but as of now it’s still up in the air. I don’t know.”

During Souris Valley’s opening night 16-2 victory over the Wheat City Whiskey Jacks May 25, Schwabe gave Sabre Dogs fans an early taste of his full offensive capabilities and what was yet to come from the outfielder’s potent bat throughout the first half, going 3-for-5 with a double, three runs scored, one RBI, one walk and four stolen bases.

He would thieve a bag in each of the Dogs’ next two games as well, building the first of his four separate stolen-base streaks of three or more games. The most impressive of those four was his June 17-23 five-game stretch that saw Schwabe steal 12 bases on the strength of three games with at least three robberies.

Despite sitting out for almost an entire month, Schwabe still held the league lead in stolen bases entering play July 27, as well. His four bags on Opening Night also marked the first of three games in which he would steal four bases, the third of

which came just three games before he would suffer his injury.

“I actually had no clue about it,” he said of how close he got to the record. “I was told about it when I was around 35, so then I started thinking it would be a pretty cool achievement. The whole season it wasn’t on my mind, I was just looking to be aggressive. Stealing is a thing you

bit, and Schwabe saw himself quietly pull ahead of his teammate as the frontrunner for the Expedition League’s 2021 MVP honors.

In addition to his robust average, OBP and stolen base marks, Schwabe also led the league in runs scored (60), earned the eighth-most hits (62), and posted an OPS (on-base plus slugging

“I actually had no clue about it. I was told about it when I was around 35, so then I started thinking it would be a pretty cool achievement. The whole season it wasn’t on my mind, I was just looking to be aggressive. Stealing is a thing you have to keep working on.

It’s an art. You have to stay sharp and keep working at it.”

— Cadyn Schwabe said of how close he got to the record have to keep working on. It’s an art. You have to stay sharp and keep working at it.”

Even with Schwabe’s prowess on the basepaths a live, nightly highlight reel, most of the fanfare and attention sat squarely on the broad shoulders of first baseman Beau Brewer as he broke a league record of his own with his 31game hit streak and 34-game onbase streak to begin his season.

A 3-for-28 slump that began July 6 and lasted over a week snapped the latter and saw Brewer’s overall numbers dip a

percentage) of 1.177 to accompany a glistening 11:30 strikeoutto-walk ratio.

“It was good,” he said of his season as a whole. “I got into a little bit of a groove, felt comfortable at the plate, and playing with the guys around me, it made it easy. People saw we are an aggressive team. We are always looking to run and hit-andrun, and do things like that. With the good coaches we have there and the good players around me, it was just a lot of fun.”

Schwabe pointed to the ever-

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present need to stay locked in to each game from first pitch to the final out as the source of his success not only on the basepaths, but in all facets of his game.

Watching the opposing pitcher even while Schwabe is in the dugout awaiting for his next trip to the plate gives him more time to pick up on the little hitches or quirks in the hurler’s delivery to better serve his knowledge of the opposing arm when he safely reaches first base.

As someone who he described as “not a guy who drives the ball a lot,” Schwabe has also worked to incorporate more power into his game throughout the summer season in Minot.

In 60 games with Des Moines Area Community College during the 2020-21 season, the outfielder amassed eight doubles, six triples and three home runs for a total of 17 extra-base hits.

He had almost matched that total in a little fewer than half the games with the Dogs this summer, cranking eight doubles, three triples and one long ball in 34 games before the wrist injury.

“That’s something I’ve been working on and need to continue to improve on, is driving the baseball and working into good hitters’ counts,” he said. “My plan this summer was to just keep it as simple as I could and eliminate extra movement in my swing. The second big thing is pitch selection. Guys get in bad grooves, and a lot of times it’s not their swing, it’s their pitch selection. They’re swinging at bad pitches, pitchers’ pitches. I wanted to be precise in that manner, and when you’re swinging at good pitches you’ll have a lot more of a success rate.”

He is still holding out hope to

return to the Sabre Dogs’ lineup before the season’s conclusion in mid-August and finish what he started, but if things do not shake out that way, he should be more than ready to take the field with his new college program next spring.

Schwabe will be returning home, or at least close to it, when he joins the baseball program at North Dakota State University this fall. After spending two years at DMACC, he will enter in to his third year academically, but will still have three seasons of eligibility with the team.

A native of Thompson, North Dakota, Schwabe wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to be closer to home. NDSU sits about an hour south of Thompson along highway 81 and I-29 in Fargo, North Dakota, and the proximity to his hometown also afforded him to get to know the program long before his college days.

“I’ve always watched them when I was young, and following them, I knew a couple guys a few years back who played there,” he said. “So it was always a place that I wanted to play and wanted to be. They have really good coaches there and unreal facilities in Fargo, and with the culture that they have there, it’s something that I felt fit what I was looking for.”

First things first, though, Schwabe is concerning himself with rehabbing his wrist to full health, and would love nothing more than to embark on a deep postseason run with his Souris Valley teammates. Getting another crack at breaking the league stolen bases record would also be an added bonus on an outstanding summer season.

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AUGUST 2021

Souris Valley's Justin Cooper (left) takes an aggressive lead off of first base during an Aug. 3 home game at Corbett Field.

2021 SOURIS VALLEY SABRE DOGS T Season in Review

Robert Brewer/MDN

By RYAN LADIKA

Sports Writer rladika@minotdailynews.com

he Souris Valley Sabre Dogs’ 2021 campaign has been one to remember Dogs fans and Expedition League fans alike. Bursting at the seams with thrilling walkoffs and record-breaking performances, the Dogs put on quite a show for fans in the Magic City and beyond.

AUGUST 2021

MAY Souris Valley kicked off the 2021 campaign with an explosive 16-2 Opening Night victory against the Wheat City Whiskey Jacks, giving fans a sneak peek into the top Expedition League offense that would be on display throughout the summer. A 10run fourth inning that saw 13 men come to the plate, in addition to seven dominant innings and 11 strikeouts by Dominick Parkhurst, propelled the Dogs to their first win of the season.

The Dogs would go on to split the next two games with the Jacks, falling in a narrow 8-7 contest before routing Wheat City once more 19-8 to lock up their first series victory of the year. The first homestand of the season wrapped up with a two-game set against the Badlands Big Sticks, and while Souris Valley outscored Badlands 18-13 in the two games, the Dogs settled for a series split to begin the first full month of play at 3-2.

The top offensive performer throughout the first five games for Souris Valley was first baseman Beau Brewer. He made headlines with his eventual 31game hit streak, and his outstanding first half began with a scorching hot 11-for-20 start, including a 4-for-4 showing May 27, to accompany his three RBI, one double, six walks and four stolen bases in May’s five games.

JUNE No June swoon to be found here. The Sabre Dogs rocketed to the top of the Expedition League’s Lewis Division with a phenomenal month of June, winning 19 of 26 games and clinching a postseason berth with an eventual 229 first-place finish in the season’s official first half.

The Dogs began their torrid month with a three-game sweep of the Casper Horseheads, a series that helped build their win streak to five after a series-opening victory against the Spearfish Sasquatch June 4. The sweep was emphatically punctuated by the first of Souris Valley’s two 20-run

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2021 SOURIS VALLEY PLAYOFF SCHEDULE Divisional Round

*denotes if necessary; scheduled times are Central Standard Time Game 1: Monday, Aug. 9 7:05 p.m. @ Badlands Big Sticks (Dickinson)

Game 2: Tuesday, Aug 10 7:05 p.m. vs Badlands Big Sticks (Corbett Field)

Ryan Ladika/MDN

Jordan Williams stands in for an at-bat during Souris Valley's July 10 contest. Through his first 29 games of the season, Williams has hit .336 with 34 RBI and five home runs. outbursts, a 23-1 embarrassment of the Horseheads that saw each of the Dogs’ nine starters record at least one hit, score at least once and drive in at least one run.

Souris Valley’s five-game run was only their second-most impressive stretch during the season’s first full month, as the Dogs would later rattle off seven consecutive victories June 14-23 as part of a 14-2 run to end the month.

Before their dominant finish to the month, though, Souris Valley fought through a tough stretch in the middle of the month as all teams must. Following their series victory over the Sasquatch June 4-6, the Dogs dropped a three-game home-and-home series to the Big Sticks two games to one before losing two of three to the Sioux Falls Sunfish on the road, miring the team in a brief 24 slide before it got back on the horse and coasted through the remainder of the month.

Among the Dogs’ outstanding performers throughout June were southpaw Trevor Ernt and righthander Jaiden Beck on the

mound, as well as Schwabe, Brewer, Allen Grier, Justin Cooper and Jordan Williams offensively.

Ernt, perhaps Souris Valley’s most reliable starter throughout the season, joined the Dogs in mid-June for his first three starts, all within the month. He led the club to wins in all three, earning a quality start in each with exactly six innings pitched per start and only three combined runs allowed, good for 1.50 earned run average. He overcame some early command issues with a sterling five-strikeout, no-walk display in his third Souris Valley start June 30 If Ernt has been the most rocksolid Dogs starter, then Beck may take that title in relief. He joined the team in mid-June like Ernt and was a dependable option whenever head coach Alex Miklos saw the team in a tight spot.

He worked 10.1 innings in June, allowing just three runs, two of which came in one of his five appearances. He notched nine strikeouts and produced three scoreless outings.

Brewer and Schwabe continued their respective outstanding campaigns throughout the month, as Schwabe earned at least one hit in 20 of his 24 games during the month, and Brewer found the hit column in every game to extend his hit streak to 31 straight games to begin the season. The duo combined for 30 multi-hit contests, 17 of which consisted of at least three hits.

Grier’s month of June got off to a hot start as well, as the outfielder notched a pair of three-hit contests in his first three games of the month and compiled a sixgame hit streak during which he went 13-for-29 June 1-8. Overall, the Atlanta, Georgia native completed the month 27-for-89, or a .303 clip.

Williams’ month of June was abbreviated, but he made an impact when he was on the field for Souris Valley, earning at least one hit in each of the six games he appeared in for a 12-for-25 display in total to accompany three doubles, one triple, two home runs and eight RBI. Cooper made his return to the

*Game 3: Wednesday, Aug. 11 7:05 p.m. vs Badlands Big Sticks (Corbett Field)

Expedition League Championship round is scheduled for Aug. 13-15 Souris Valley lineup in mid-June as well, finding his way into 12 games during the month. The infielder found his groove immediately, recording 13 hits in 38 at-bats for a robust .342 average.

He also drove in at least one run in eight of his 12 games, including a streak of six in a row for a total of 12 RBI.

All-Star Break In the midst of a grueling 15game road trip in the second half of the season, the All-Star Break, hosted by the Casper Horseheads, provided much-needed rest for the squad. Eight Sabre Dogs in total made the Lewis Division’s All-Star roster: Williams, Brewer, Schwabe, Cooper, Grier, Beck, Cullen Hannigan and Kyle Bratset, as well as the the entire Souris Valley coaching staff as a See REVIEW — Page 6

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result of the team’s first-half division title.

The day before the game itself, Williams served as the Dogs’ representative in the home run derby and made his hometown proud.

The outfielder cranked three home runs in each of the first two rounds and one in the final round before eventually falling to the Western Nebraska Pioneers’ JT Waldon in the tiebreaking swing-off.

With Schwabe unavailable to play in the All-Star Game, the other seven Dogs found their way into the action at one point or another, with Hannigan and Williams combining for a single and a walk, while Grier walked, stole second and scored the Lewis Division’s first run of the game Ryan Ladika/MDN in the fifth inning.

Beck and Bratset made a Dylan Swanson, right, and Aaron Suval pose during Souris Valley's August 4 contest. couple of notable contributions as well, combining for The latter, right-hander half, winning just two of its somewhat humbled the sition 189-163 in 27 games.

1.2 scoreless frames with A couple of the key vic- Eric Wallington turned in first five games before road warriors, but the Dogs one strikeout. cranking out wins in six of responded well to the ad- tories in the second half of his best start of the season, its next eight before the versity with a pair of wins the season that boosted the spinning seven scoreless long stretch away from the to earn a split in the series Dogs to where they finished innings and striking out 14 JULY sweeping the occurred July 2 and 29, the hitters, a season-high on friendly confines of Corbett before With the second half of Field.

Whiskey Jacks in four former a thrilling 10-9 both counts, against Wheat the season comes the inSouris Valley began the games, building their win walkoff victory that saw City. The Jacks loaded the evitable roster turnover, roadie with a victory streak to six in the waning Souris Valley score five bases in the bottom of the and Souris Valley was left against Badlands to earn a days of July. runs in the final two in- ninth, but Aaron Suval to soldier on through a 15- sweep of the brief twoOverall, the Dogs fin- nings, capped off by a Dal- hang on for the save in game road trip without the game home-and-home se- ished the month with an ton Bowling three-run Souris Valley’s 2-1 victory. likes of Brewer and Ernt, ries before taking two of equally-dominant 18-9 game-winning home run in among others. The squad three against the Pioneers. record, propelled by their the bottom of the ninth ingot off to a slow start in the Losses in the first two of outrageous offensive num- ning that sent Corbett Field season’s official second four against the Sunfish bers to outscore their oppo- into a frenzy.

AUGUST 2021

The offense The Sabre Dogs boasted one of the league’s best offenses throughout the season, spearheaded by the feats of Brewer, Schwabe, Cooper, Grier, Williams and others. Entering the final month of the year, the Dogs sat third in the league in batting average (.308), one point out of the top three in on-base percentage (.414), and third in OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging, .842).

The squad ran wild on the basepaths this season as well, led by Cadyn Schwabe’s 40 stolen bags in 34 games, four shy of the Expedition League record.

Overall, the Dogs’ 188 steals entering August was good for one behind Sioux Falls for the most in the league.

To accompany their impressive baserunning, Souris Valley also ranked second in runs scored with 502.

Push for the playoffs With their all-around dominant 2021 campaign, the Dogs enter the month of August with their spot in the playoffs already locked up. The squad overcame key losses to the roster and a tiresome stretch on the road, and with a fearsome offense and solid pitching staff in support, the players and fans alike have high hopes and spirits entering postseason play.

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AUGUST 2021

By ROBERT BREWER

Sports Editor rbrewer@minotdailynews.com

n just his first season as a member of the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs, first baseman Beau Brewer made an immediate impact.

I

Brewer played his final game for the Sabre Dogs on July 18 before heading back to his native Texas at the Expedition League All-Star Break. In 44 games played, he wrapped up his summer season with a batting average of .416 and totaled 57 runs batted in, both second in the Expedition League at the conclusion of his campaign. The Lone Star State native also stole 20 bases and demonstrated a keen eye at the plate drawing 26 walks against only eight strikeouts.

Unquestionably, the biggest milestone Brewer achieved as a member of the Sabre Dogs was his 31-game hit streak. From May 25 through June 30, Brewer recorded a hit in every game for Souris Valley. During that span, the 6-foot-4 infielder accumulated 21 multi hit games. In addition to his hit streak, Brewer also reached base safely in 34 straight games to start the summer campaign, a streak which came to an end on July 6 in a game against the Badlands Big Sticks.

In the process of this offensive tear, Brewer smashed the Expedition League record for most consecutive games with a hit by an individual player. Previously, the record was 15 games, a mark that was tied by two players. The righthanded hitting standout from Paris Junior College also accumulated a .491 on-base percentage, good for sixth in the league, and totaled 54 runs scored, fourth-best among players at the time of his depature.

During his string of excellence at the plate, Brewer maintained it was the two-strike approach he developed in college which enabled him to produce prolific hitting numbers with Souris Valley.

“I really bought into that approach, and it’s opened up the field and the way I play,” Brewer told The Minot Daily News. “My teammates and I bounce ideas off each other and help perfect each other’s craft. Our coaches have done a great job developing a routine for us, and then if you stick to that routine, so far it’s proved to work.”

Thanks in part to Brewer’s exploits this season, the Sabre Dogs managed to clinch a playoff spot in late June as the first half winners of the Clark Division. With plenty of individual success as well as team success on the field, the infielder states it was his connection with teammates and the fan base at Corbett Field that gave him the most satisfaction.

“With the coaching staff, players and fans being so welcoming, they made this such an easy experience knowing that I didn’t have to come in here and do anything insane. That just took a lot of stress off me and helped me play my best game,” Brewer added.

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BEAU BREWER makes first season with Sabre Dogs a memorable one

MDN File Photo

Beau Brewer enjoyed a phenomenal summer campaign with the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs which was highlighted by a 31-game hit streak to start off the season.

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AUGUST 2021

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