REDFIELD – There has been no slowing down the Redfield Dairy Queen Amateur baseball team this summer.

The squad has run its way to a 19-0 record so far this season heading into this year’s State B Tournament. At the forefront of everything is the team’s speed, which has accounted for an average of seven stolen bases per game. Redfield, which has stolen more than a dozen bases in a game several times this summer, has 141 successful steals while getting caught just five times.

“We have six kids with over 10 stolen bases,” said Redfield manager Lonni Stover.

He said that speed causes all sorts of havoc on the basepaths.

“Pretty much a single is a double or a walk is double. That’s pretty crazy,” Stover said. “We had a couple of kids steal home even, just straight out steals of home.”

That speed comes into play before players even reach base, according to Stover.

“The speed, even ground balls, if you take your time as a fielder, you’re not going to throw them out,” Stover said, “so it puts pressure on people defensively, just a normal routine ground ball, you better get it and throw it.”

Conversely, that team speed also helps Dairy Queen when it is out in the field as well. It allows Redfield to take away runs because players can cover so much ground.

“Our team speed, I don’t think it’s matched by anybody. … Defensively, the balls that we run down in the outfield, even the infield balls that we dive and get to that most teams aren’t getting to,” Stover said.

The bulk of the thievery is led by the Osborn brothers, triplets Camden, Owen and Peyton, and older brother Bennett. Camden leads the team with 28 stolen bases.

Stover believes Redfield’s team speed will continue to be a factor during the state tournament, which will take place at spacious Cadwell Park in Mitchell.

“We get down to Mitchell, our speed is definitely going to have an effect on the game. We’re going to be able to chase some balls down in the gap and so forth,” Stover said, before adding, there are three other key elements to the game. “You go down there and you got to pitch, you got to field and you got to hit. If you mess up on any one of those three things, you could be headed home.”

Dairy Queen has certainly not lacked when it comes to the hitting department. Redfield has a team batting average of .381, led by the state’s top hitter, Camden Osborn who is batting .500 from his lead-off spot. Only one starter on the team is batting under .300.

“And we’ve seen some good pitching, too,” Stover said. “These kids are hitting the ball.”

Redfield has been tested already this season with a pair of one-run wins to its credit, and Stover believes the squad will be challenged again when it takes on Elk Point in the opening round of the state tourney at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

“It will be a test, there’s no doubt,” he said.

Redfield added Legion players Layne Cotton and Gunner Brueggeman from Faulkton-Highmore, however, Camden Osborn suffered a hamstring injury in the district tournament, so his status remains unclear.

Redfield won State B Amateur Baseball Championships in 2000 and 2006. Stover was the MVP in 2000, and fellow manager Keith Gall was MVP in 2006.

Stover speaks from experience when he said this year’s team will need to play well each time it takes the field against the state’s elite competition.

“You’re going to have to play well every game down there,” Stover said. “I mean even one inning, you give up a 5-spot in an inning, that could be the end of it.”

Regardless of what happens in the state tourney, the young players have infused a lot of life and energy into the squad this season.

“It’s just been a fun summer,” Stover said. “These kids have kind of made us old guys feel young again.”