It took 11 innings on Saturday night but in the end Mid-Prairie topped IMS 2-1 in the nightcap of the Golden Hawk Invitational. IMS started the game hot with the first three men reaching base against Golden Hawk starter Seth Eash. Iowa Mennonite got on the board when Tanner Leyden drove in Reggie Hostetler with an RBI single. Despite the great chance that was all IMS would get in the inning. Mid-Prairie answered with a single run in the third when Jackson Yoder led off with a double and came around to score on a passed ball.
From there the chances were few and far between to put any more runs on the board. IMS pitcher Payton Miller sat down 10 consecutive Mid-Prairie batters and Eash struck out 13 IMS batters as both teams pushed through regulation and into extra innings tied at one. IMS had chances in the eight and ninth innings to take the lead as the first two men in each inning reached base. Mid-Prairie had the same situation in the ninth and tenth but couldn’t capitalize. With one down in the eleventh Mid-Prairie got their first hit since the third when Eash drove a double to the right field gap, he stole third and was driven in on a single through the left side by Braeden Nielsen for the win. Following the game Mid-Prairie Head Coach Ryan Koller talked about his starting pitcher and the eleventh inning rally.
“He has got so good at getting ahead of batters, and his curve ball is phenomenal, he struck out 13, and he throws hard, but he is not overpowering and he just knows how to place the ball, he’s a good pitcher,” Koller said. “It is kind of funny, someone just hit it in the gap, and I said, ‘Seth has been around for four years and he did exactly what you are supposed to do, and then Seth steals third, and I didn’t tell him to,’ but I don’t know, sometimes it works out, and again we had an eighth grader in Braeden Nielsen who has just turned it on and hit it hard.”
IMS continues to create offensive chances but has not been able to break through during their current four game losing streak. After the game IMS Head Coach Danny Hershberger talked about their approach at the plate and looking for the big hit.
“We’ve had about three games now where we’ve been able to get guys on base, but we haven’t been able to get that one clutch hit. We’re getting closer to getting there, and the guys are staying in it and keep pressing so we’re excited for things to come yet this year,” Hershberger said.
Despite their great starts, neither starter factored in the decision. Sonny Christiansen recorded the win for Mid-Prairie going the final three innings. Tyler Messer took the loss for IMS. In their first game of the day Mid-Prairie had fallen to Davenport North in the final inning 4-3, IMS dropped a game to Mt. Pleasant 11-4. Mid-Prairie is now 5-10 and travels to Bellevue tonight while IMS is 3-6 and hosts Mediapolis.