Area Male Athlete: W-DC's Dykhoff improving on all his numbers

Jake Dykhoff

Year: Sophomore

School: Wadena-Deer Creek

Sport: Baseball

Position: Pitcher, catcher

Highlights: Went 3-5 with three runs, three RBIs and three stolen bases against Menahga

Jake Dykhoff comes from a big baseball family so the sport has come naturally for the Wadena-Deer Creek sophomore.

The Wolverines' catcher and pitcher has been playing like the natural in the early part of this season.

In an 8-3 victory over Menahga April 14, Dykhoff was 3-5 with three runs, three RBIs and three stolen bases.

Through the first four games this season, Dykhoff is hitting .538 with four runs, four RBIs and two doubles. He has three stolen bases with a .571 on-base percentage and a .692 slugging percentage.

"This year I wanted to bring my ERA way down because it was pretty high last year and I want to bring my batting average up," said Jake Dykhoff. "I opened up my stance a little this year. Last year I started off with more of a closed stance and I was getting jammed a lot. It's helping a lot."

This season, through two appearances on the mound, Dykhoff is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA. In 14 innings he's struck out 17 and walked none.

In a 4-2 victory over Sauk Centre Monday, he struck out eight with an effective curveball.

"I just want to throw strikes because last year sometimes I had trouble throwing strikes," Dykhoff said. "This year I've been working on just throwing more strikes instead of trying to blow it by them. I've been working on hitting spots and hitting the glove."

W-DC head coach and Jake's uncle Kyle Dykhoff said his nephew got stronger as the game reached the later innings. He said Jake throws a fastball, slider and changeup. When he's not pitching he's behind the plate.

"He's one of those kids where you can put him anywhere on the field," said Kyle Dykhoff. "We expect him to be our leader offensively and also pitching. He leads by example. He's a fiery competitor and I think the rest of the team can feed off of that."

Last season, Dykhoff led the Wolverines with a .413 batting average. He was 26-for-63 with 13 runs, 13 RBIs, nine doubles and three walks with just two strikeouts. He posted a .443 on-base percentage and a .556 slugging percentage.

Those numbers helped him to an All-Mid-State Conference selection. This year he's hitting in the No. 3 spot and he's enjoying the added pressure.

"You're kind of the guy that needs to clutch up," Jake Dykhoff said of being the No. 3 hitter. "You're usually coming up with guys on base and RBI situations. I just see the ball and hit. I don't like to walk so when I see a good pitch I usually just swing right away."

Last year on the mound, he finished 1-4 with a 5.18 ERA. In 25.6 innings, he struck out 43, walked 16 and allowed 19 earned runs.

"We'll continue to develop his changeup as a pitcher and as a hitter waiting for better pitches to hit," Kyle Dykhoff said. "When he has games that he struggles, it's because he's chasing pitches out of the zone."

Other notable performances:

Baseball: Kyle Kern, Wadena-Deer Creek, struck out five in a one-hit shutout of Sebeka.

Matt Kummet, Pierz, struck out four in a three-hit shutout of Royalton.

Jared Sewall, Pequot Lakes, finished 3-4 with three doubles against Upsala.

Noah Boser, Pierz, finished 4-5 with a double, home run and four RBIs against Paynesville.

Joe Davidson, Pine River-Backus, was 2-2 with a home run and pitched the victory against Nevis.

Hunter Sanford, Logan Cluff and Sam Peterson, Aitkin, combined to pitch a five-inning no hitter against Ogilvie.

Track and field: Reid Pierzinski, Pequot Lakes, won the 110-meter hurdles and triple jump at the Brainerd Invite.

Samuel Moore, Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale, won the shot put and discus at the Browne Invite and won the discus at the Ranger invite.

JEREMY MILLSOP may be reached at 855-5856 or jeremy.millsop@brainerddispatch.com . Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jeremymillsop .