Author: Nathan Bloechl

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com

KILJ — The Southeast Iowa Superconference has another loaded Tuesday slate in baseball and softball tonight.

Here’s the full schedule of games this evening:

Baseball:

• Mediapolis (1-0) at Winfield-Mount Union — 6:00 p.m.
• New London (1-0) at Cardinal — 7:00 p.m.
• Pekin at Wapello — 7:00 p.m.
• Van Buren at West Burlington — 7:00 p.m.

Softball:

• Central Lee at Holy Trinity — 7:00 p.m.
• Winfield-Mount Union at Mediapolis — 7:00 p.m.
• Cardinal at New London — 7:00 p.m.
• Wapello at Pekin — 7:00 p.m.
• WB/ND at Van Buren County — 7:00 p.m.

And a bonus, 7th Grade New London baseball and the debut of Coach Nathan Bloechl at New London at 5:30 p.m. against Denmark.

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com 

Mount Pleasant Baseball Splits with Hounds:

Clayton Lowery picked up the win in relief, while driving in three runs as the Mount Pleasant Panther baseball team earned themselves an 8-5 game one victory over Fort Madison to start their season last night.

Lowery came on in relief of starter Jaxon Hoyle who allowed one run over two innings of work. Lowery threw four scoreless innings before yielding way to Cooper Keldgord and Corbin Broeker, who worked out of a 7th inning bases loaded jam to preserve the victory.

Lowery, a Grandview commit, also got it done at the dish registering two hits including a triple while driving in three.

Nik Coble finished game one 2-for-2 with a double and three runs batted in. Broeker also had two hits and a RBI as Mount Pleasant jumped out to an 8-1 lead after six innings.

In game two, the Bloodhound bats came alive, earning a split winning 10-4.

Nik Coble started on the hill for the Panthers, working the first four innings scattering three walks while striking out five.

Fort Madison got after the Panther bullpen scoring nine runs in three innings to pull away late.

Chase Williamson provided the offensive punch with a double and three runs batted in.

Mount Pleasant, now 1-1, will be off until Thursday when they travel to take on the Demons of Washington on the road.

First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m.

Other area action last night on the baseball circuit:

• Mediapolis 10, Wapello 2
  • Josh Darbyshire tripled while Drayvon Fenton doubled in a game the Bulldogs never trailed. Tyler Samuel pitched a gem for Mediapolis, allowing just one hit over 6 2/3 of sparkling baseball.
• New London 4, Pekin 2
  • The Tigers got three hits Tucker Gibbar as they defeated Pekin. Seth Bailey earned the win for New London punching out seven Panthers in 5 2/3 innings.
• Louisa-Muscatine 12, Winfield-Mount Union 2
  • Jacob Ford had two hits for the Wolves as Louisa cruised to a 12-2 win.

Panther Softball Splits Against Hounds:

Sydni Coleman pitched a dandy in the circle in game one as the Mount Pleasant softball team took down Fort Madison 5-2.

The Panthers scored four runs in the 2nd inning to provide the offensive firepower.

Coleman was the big stick for Mount Pleasant in game one, going 2-for-3 with three runs batted in.

In game two, Fort Madison jumped out to a 4-2 lead early and added three more late to earn a split, defeating the Panthers 7-3.

Samantha Broeker led the Panthers offensively with a double and a single in three at-bats.

Mount Pleasant will be off until Thursday when they take on Washington, you can hear that contest right here Thursday night on KILJ-FM.

Other softball action last night:

• #2 Louisa-Muscatine 1, Winfield-Mount Union 0
  • The #2 ranked Falcons took everything they could handle and then some but prevailed in a 1-0 victory. Madi Anderson was outstanding in the circle for Winfield, allowing just the one run over seven innings while striking out nine. Hailey Sanders struck out 10 for Louisa-Muscatine allowing just one hit.
• Wapello 4, Mediapolis 0
  • Defending state qualifier Wapello started their season with a bang, earning a 4-0 victory over the Bullettes. Aliyah Lolling picked up the win for the Arrows. Hallie Mohr took the lost for Mediapolis.
• New London 8, Pekin 5
  • Trailing 5-2 after three innings, New London rallied for the next six runs as they defeated Pekin 8-5.
• Central lee 7, Danville 1
  • Danville took a 1-0 lead but it was all Central Lee after that, scoring the games final seven runs. Danville’s Morgan Waste had three hits in three trips to pace the Bears. Sophie Turner was the winning pitcher for Central Lee.

Former Wesleyan Standout Named New London Head Coach:

Former Iowa Wesleyan standout Aimee Iverson was announced as the next head girls’ basketball coach at New London High School at their school board meeting last evening.

Iverson, who spent the last three seasons as an assistant on the Wesleyan staff, will take over for Chad Wahls.

New London finished last season 2-17 and 2-14 in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference.

Iowa, Doyle Reach Separation Agreement:

The University of Iowa Athletics Department has announced that football strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle will not return to the program.

According to the release, the two sides have agreed on a “seperation” that is effective immediately.

On June 6th, Doyle was placed on administrative leave for what officials described as an independent investigation on racial inequality in the Iowa football program.

Doyle will receive $1.11 million in a buyout clause as well as full health benefits for the next 15 months.

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com 

We’re Back. Summer Sports Begin Across State Today:

It’s been 98 days between live broadcasts on KILJ, but that all comes to a close today as the Iowa High School baseball and softball season starts this evening statewide.

Tonight on KILJ-FM it will be Mount Pleasant baseball taking on Fort Madison at 5:30 p.m.

Mount Pleasant finished last season 21-11 overall and 12-4 in Southeast Conference play, while the Bloodhounds finished 16-15 overall and 6-10 in conference action.

The Panthers return several key players from last year’s squad including Nik Coble, Corbin Broeker, Clayton Lowery, Jaxon Hoyle and Chase Williamson.

We’ll take the air for tonight’s contest at 5;25 p.m.

The Mount Pleasant softball team also gets underway tonight as they play host to Fort Madison for a doubleheader.

Troy Mears’ group went 23-13 one year ago and return Conference Player of the Year Sydni Coleman.

Coleman went 16-7 in the circle for the Panthers last year with a sparkling 2.51 ERA, while also hitting .358 and driving in 30 runs at the plate.

Fort Madison ended their 2019 season 14-18, winning just four conference tilts.

They’ll begin tonight at 5:30 p.m. at Mapleleaf Athletic Complex.

Here’s tonight’s area baseball slate:

• Central Lee at Danville
• Wapello at Mediapolis
• Pekin at New London
• Winfield-Mount Union at Louisa-Muscatine

And the area softball schedule:

•  Danville at Central Lee
• Mediapolis at Wapello
• New London at Pekin
• Louisa-Muscatine at Winfield-Mount Union

Former Hawkeye Lands at Purdue:

Former Iowa Hawkeye defensive back D.J. Johnson is staying in the conference.

After announcing his plans to transfer, Johnson has now committed to Purdue University.

The Indiana native recorded 14 tackles last season including two pass breakups.

Johnson will sit out the 2020 season and have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in the 2021 campaign.

Purdue finished last season 4-8.

BIG 12, Kansas City Agree to Extension for Basketball Tournaments:

The Big 12 Conference has announced a one-year extension to the multi-year agreement for Kansas City to serve as the host site for the Phillips 66 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, meaning Iowa State’s basketball programs will compete for the BIG 12 Championship in Kansas City through 2025.

Kansas City was the initial host of both championships in the first six years of the Conference from 1997-2002, and again in 2005, 2008 and 2010-12.

The men’s postseason event has continued its run in Kansas City since 2010 while the women’s championship was set to return in 2020.

Due to COVID-19, the men’s championship was halted after the first two games while the women’s event was cancelled in its entirety.

PGA Tour Returns, Daniel Berger Wins Charles Schwab Challenge:

The PGA Tour returned weekend, the tour’s longest drought between tournaments since World War II, and Daniel Berger held off Collin Morikawa to win the Charles Schwab Challenge.

At the beginning of the week 487 players, caddies, officials and other personnel were tested without a positive result.

Jordan Spieth finished 10th at -10, while Rory McIlroy tied for 32nd at -6.

Berger won the tournament after defeating Morikawa in a playoff.

The RBC Heritage Tournament will begin this Thursday at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com 

The University of Iowa football program has named 21 players to the 2020 Leadership Group, it was announced Friday by head coach Kirk Ferentz.

The group includes nine seniors, three juniors, six sophomores, and three red-shirt freshmen. The purpose of the group is to assist in formulating policies and being involved in team decision-making throughout the year. Players were selected following coaching staff and player input.

The leadership group was voted on one month ago.

The group consists of seniors Cole Banwart, Keith Duncan, Chauncey Golston, Matt Hankins, Alaric Jackson, Nick Niemann, Mekhi Sargent, Austin Schulte and Brandon Smith; juniors Djimon Colbert, Ivory Kelly-Martin and Jack Koerner; sophomores Dane Belton, Seth Benson, Julius Brents, Tyler Linderbaum, Spencer Petras, and Tyrone Tracy, Jr.; and redshirt freshmen Jermari Harris, Desmond Hutson, and Alex Padilla.

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com 

Duncan Named Preseason All-American:

Iowa kicker Keith Duncan has been named to the Walter camp preseason All-American team.

Duncan was a consensus All-American in 2019, earning five first-team All-America selections and two second-team All-America selections. Last season, Duncan led the nation with 29 made field goals to set the Iowa and Big Ten single-season record, which ranks sixth all-time in NCAA history.

In 2019, Duncan was also the Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year in the Big Ten, one of three Lou Groza Award finalists, a first-team All-Big Ten selection by league coaches and media, and an Academic All-Big Ten selection.

The Hawkeyes kickoff their season Sept. 5 against Northern Iowa.

Clear Creek’s Bollers Stuns Iowa, Iowa State, Chooses Wisconsin:

Spurning his home state schools, Clear Creek-Amana defensive end T.J. Bollers finally made his long awaited college decision yesterday, inking on with the Wisconsin Badgers.

Bollers was figured to be a shoo-in at the University of Iowa as his dad Trevor played there in the 1990s.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Bollers is ranked as the No. 8 at weak-side defensive end and No. 2 in the state of Iowa by 247Sports Composite rankings.

Bollers choose Wisconsin over offers from over 20 Power-5 schools, including Alabama, Iowa, Iowa State, Penn State, Notre Dame and Florida.

Bollers and his Clippers take on Mount Pleasant on August 28th, to open this year.

Drake’s Roemmich Named CoSIDA All-American:

For the second consecutive year, Mandi Roemmich of the Drake University softball team, has been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America First Team.

Roemmich is just the second Drake softball student-athlete to earn multiple academic all-America honors, joining Laurie Bowden, a three-time honoree from 1991-93.

Roemmich graduated with a 4.0 grade point average in biology and will start dental school this fall at the University of Iowa.

She is the seventh Bulldog to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in 2019-20, a national best.

Dowling’s Baumler Selected in MLB Draft:

Dowling Catholic right-handed pitcher Carter Baumler was selected yesterday in the 5th round of the truncated MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles.

Baumle, a TCU commit,  went 5-1 last season with a 1.77 ERA to lead the Maroons to a 31-12 record.

He was the the lone Iowa native to go within the five round draft.

He joins Pekin’s Keaton Winn as the last two Iowa high school players selected in the fifth round.