The Bon Homme High School baseball team is making a statement early in the 2026 season, and they’re doing it in style. Sitting at an impressive 7-1 through their first eight games, the Cavaliers have quickly emerged as one of the top contenders in Class B. With a potent mix of explosive offense and reliable pitching, they’ve reeled off six straight wins after an early-season hiccup—a narrow 7-6 loss to Parkston (5-3) in just their second game of the year. Since then, it’s been all gas, no brakes.
Their latest showcase came at the Dakota Wesleyan University Harter/Bakley Class B High School Baseball Showcase on Sunday, April 26, where they powered past Elkton-Lake Benton with a commanding 12-4 victory. That win marked their sixth straight and highlighted a trend of consistent run production that has defined their hot start. Before that, the Cavaliers knocked off previously unbeaten Freeman/Canistota/Marion 9-4 on April 22, then followed it up with a dominant 9-0 shutout of Wagner/Avon/Lake Andes on April 25.
In the win over Freeman/Canistota/Marion, Madden Merkwan set the tone at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Alex Adler delivered a massive performance with four RBIs. Carter Smith added two more RBIs to round out a balanced offensive attack. The Wagner/Avon/Lake Andes victory showcased a different kind of grit—despite collecting just three hits, the Cavaliers showed remarkable patience at the plate, drawing 12 walks to manufacture runs. Merkwan also shined on the mound, tossing a one-hitter over five innings with four strikeouts and no runs allowed, working around six walks to secure the shutout.
Bon Homme’s numbers through the first eight games are eye-popping. They’re averaging 8.7 runs per game while allowing just 2.6, with three shutout victories already under their belt. They’ve also reached double digits in scoring three times, a testament to their depth throughout the lineup. Leading the charge is Ethan Wagner, who boasts a .550 batting average and a .667 on-base percentage—numbers that would make any pitcher nervous. Cooper Mudder has been a key catalyst too, hitting .435 and scoring a team-high 13 runs. Isaiah Crownover paces the squad with 13 RBIs, while Adler has added nine RBIs and the team’s only home run, along with a .400 average.
Additional support comes from Calvin Caba (.360, 10 RBIs, team-high two doubles), Carter Smith (.333), and Major Aarstad (.304), giving the Cavaliers multiple reliable options in the box. On the mound, Merkwan has cemented himself as the staff ace, posting a perfect 3-0 record across four appearances. With this kind of firepower and poise, Bon Homme looks poised to make a deep run this season—and they’re having a blast doing it.