IMS scored early but Mediapolis rallied and controlled the rest of the game Monday night in Kalona for the 9-3 win. Iowa Mennonite got it going early as their first three batters of the game reached and Reggie Hostetler came in to score on a Tyler Messer fielders choice. IMS loaded the bases later in the inning with two outs and Payton Miller drove in Dallas Nye to make it 2-0 IMS after one. With IMS having trouble recently getting a timely hit with runners on, Head Coach Danny Hershberger talked about his team’s approach at the plate in the first inning.

“We came out and we were aggressive at the plate. We did a good job of getting some early hits, got some guys on, and it was a good start for us to get two on the board that quick,” Hershberger said.

The Bulldogs answered with three hits and three runs in the second inning off of Nye to take a lead they would not give up on the night. MEPO added one more in the fourth and a pair of runs in the fifth and sixth innings to run their lead to 8-2. IMS cut the lead to 8-3 in the sixth when Brent Brenneman tripled and came home on a Lane Shrock sac fly. Mediapolis would get that run back in their last at bat to reach the 9-3 final.

Elijah Wolfe got the win for MEPO going six innings, allowing four hits, three earned runs, walking five and striking out five. Nye took the loss with six innings of work, 12 hits allowed, eight runs, five of them earned and struck out three. Tanner Leyden was two of four at the plate to lead IMS. IMS is now 3-7 on the year and travels to WACO tonight for a doubleheader.