Leapaldt, Shipman having diamond success

Local college baseball players and CHS graduates Kyle Leapaldt and Jayden Shipman haven't been "shut out" of the weather that has plagued their younger baseball-playing compatriots.

Leapaldt, a sophomore infielder/pitcher for Bismarck State College, and Shipman, a senior infielder at Valley City State, have each contributed in outsized fashion for their respective programs.

At BSC, Leapaldt has appeared in all 28 games that the Mystics have played. In 87 at-bats, he is hitting a sizzling .506 at the plate with five home runs, eight doubles and eight triples, and has 39 RBIs (runs batted in) for the season. His on-base percentage is .545, and is slugging .954.

On the mound, he has made 11 career appearances (four this season), and has a record of 4-1 with four saves, despite an ERA of 8.35 during that time.

Leapaldt's Mystics have blazed through the Mon-Dak Conference schedule, going 12-2 in the league and 25-3 thus far this spring. BSC is hitting .436 as a team, with 31 home runs and 311 runs scored.

Shipman is hitting .286 in his final season for the Vikings, and has posted career-bests this year in RBIs (21), doubles (seven), hits (34), runs (26), stolen bases (four) and has taken four hit-by-pitches.

For his career, he has a .273 average, with three home runs and 43 RBIs. In the field, Shipman has fielded 405 chances, with 205 assists and 167 putouts, and owns a career fielding percentage of .919. His best season was his junior year, where he fielded .976.

VCSU currently sits at 19-19 overall, and 10-10 in the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA).

Kyle is the son of Wes and Deb Leapaldt, and Jayden's parents are Wayne and Denise Shipman, all of Carrington.