Extra innings couldn’t keep the Iowa Mennonite School baseball team from having their season come to an end last night. As heard on AM/FM KCII and KCIIRadio.com, the Iowa Mennonite School (6-14 overall) traveled to Victor for a Class 1A District 9 quarterfinal matchup versus the Iowa Valley Tigers (13-9 overall). Tied at 2-2, Iowa Valley plated a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning, propelling the Tigers to a 4-2 victory.
The game had very little offense through the first five innings as Iowa Mennonite junior Drake Brezina brought a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning, issuing five walks in the first five innings. Brezina ultimately took a no-decision on the mound, allowing two runs on three hits, walking six and striking out nine.
Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, IMS freshman Blake Bontrager sent a two-out double into the left center gap, platting two runs to push the game into extra innings. IMS sophomore Reggie Borntrager relieved Brezina on the mound in the eighth and loaded the bases without recording an out. Junior Nick Yutzy replaced Borntrager on the mound, allowing the go-ahead runs to score on an RBI fielders choice by Iowa Valley eighth grader Ben Smith.
Tiger senior Gavin Collingwood finished off a complete game victory in the eighth by retiring IMS one-two-three in the bottom of the inning. Collingwood allowed two runs to score on eight hits, walking no one and striking out 10 batters.
The victory improves Iowa Valley to 13-9 and advances the Tigers to the district semifinal round versus North Linn, Troy Mills (32-9 overall). IMS ends their season with a 6-14 overall record.