By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Prep Baseball: New London Looking to Punch State Ticket Tonight:
The New London Tiger baseball is one step away from their ultimate goal and they’ll play for the right to achieve it this evening when they battle the Raiders of Mount Ayr in a Class 1A Substate 5 Final.
New London, the seventh-ranked program in Class 1A, enters 25-1.
Mount Ayr is 21-4, after defeating Martensdale-St. Mary’s on the road on Saturday.
The Tigers rallied to defeat Sigourney Saturday night, scoring three runs in the bottom of the 7th to walk off the Savages.
New London is of course led offensively by the three headed monster of Josh Catala, Kooper Schulte and Hecniel Rodriguez — but the lineup really does go nine deep.
Catala is the team leader with a .455 batting average, Schulte is second with three homers, while Rodriguez is first on the squad with 36 runs batted in.
The ball will likely be in his hands in tonight’s must-win game.
Rodriguez is 5-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 26 innings this year, second behind Saturday’s starter Josh Catala.
Meanwhile, Mount Ayr is led by Jaixen Frost, a sophomore, who has absolutely mashed baseballs this summer.
Frost is hitting .632 with eight home runs, eight doubles, two triples and 47 runs batted in.
He’s also stolen 25 bags as he’s already one of the Class of 2023’s prized players statewide.
He could be the one to get the ball tonight after staff ace Jaydon Knight threw six strong against Martensdale on Saturday, but the team could also turn to senior Brian Knapp.
Knapp holds a 2.08 ERA in 33.2 innings — second on the team — and is 5-1.
Tonight’s game will be played at Oskaloosa High School.
First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.
You can listen on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.
Prep Baseball: Fort Madison Falls to Central DeWitt:
Fort Madison’s terrific season came to a close last night falling at home to Central DeWitt 5-1 in a Class 3A Substate 4 semifinal.
The Sabers jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two innings and grew that advantage to 5-0 before the Bloodhounds scored a single marker in the 7th.
Colton Engeman was 2-for-3 while Jason Thurman drove in the lone run.
Thurman was the losing pitcher, throwing 3.1 innings allowing three hits and two runs.
Kane Williams worked 3.2 innings of relief. He allowed three runs all earned and four hits.
Fort Madison ends their season at 25-9.
Central DeWitt will now take on top-seeded Davenport Assumption in the Substate 4 finals.
That game will be played in Muscatine on Wednesday night.
Prep Softball: State Softball Provides Day One Fireworks:
The first day of the IGHSAU State Softball tournament provided some epic moments.
Here’s a full look at the scoreboard from yesterday:
Class 1A
No. 1 Newell-Fonda 2, No. 8 North Butler 0
No. 4 Southeast Warren 9, No. 5 Sigourney 6
No. 2 Wayne 7, No. 7 Remsen St. Mary’s 2
No. 3 Lisbon 10, No. 6 Clarksville 0
Class 2A
No. 1 Wilton 7, No. 8 Pella Christian 2
No. 4 Earlham 7, No. 5 North Union 4
No. 2 North Linn 5, No. 7 Iowa City Regina 2
No. 3 Central Springs 11, No. 6 Underwood 0
Class 3A
No. 1 Davenport Assumption 11, No. 8 Clarke 1
No. 4 Atlantic 10, No. 5 Anamosa 9 – F/11
College Wrestling: Iowa State, Dresser Agree to Extension:
Iowa State wrestling coach Kevin Dresser, the 2019 NWCA National Coach of the Year, has agreed to a contract extension through June 30, 2026.
Iowa State, which went 9-3 (4-1 Big 12) in dual action this season, had two Big 12 champions in David Carr and Gannon Gremmel and qualified eight wrestlers for the 2021 NCAA Championships.
It’s the third season in a row that the Cyclones have qualified eight or more wrestlers for the national tournament – the program’s best streak since 2008-10.
Terms of Dresser’s new contract will be announced at a later date.