Top stars, best performances on Day 1 of the Iowa high school baseball state tournaments

By Barry Poe  

During the Iowa State Baseball Tournaments, SBLive will list the top performances each day.

The first installment is from quarterfinal action on Monday in Class 1A at Carroll and 3A at Iowa City.

Malakie Christopherson, Kingsley-Pierson

The senior finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs for the Panthers, including a two-run double in the top of the seventh to give K-P a 6-4 lead. He also had an RBI single in the sixth that scored winning pitcher Conner Beelner which helped turn a 4-2 deficit into a 7-4 win over North Linn in a Class 1A quarterfinal.

Jaxon Bunkers, Remsen St. Mary’s

The junior was 2-for-3 with three RBI, including a two-run homer in the third inning of a 6-0 Class 1A quarterfinal win over South Winneshiek. Collin Homan added a solo homer for St. Mary’s, which will take a 34-0 record into a semifinal against Kingsley-Pierson.

Dereck Santiago, New London

The senior drove in three runs and was the winning pitcher for the Tigers in a 12-3 win over CAM in a Class 1A quarterfinal. Santiago struck out eight over 4.1 innings, ushering 29-1 New London into a semifinal opposite Mason City Newman.

Doug Taylor, Mason City Newman

The junior limited Lisbon to two runs while striking out 12 in a complete-game effort on the mound in a 3-2 quarterfinal Class 1A victory. The Knights took an early 3-0 lead, then held off a late Lisbon charge to advance to a semifinal.

Chance Dreyer, Davenport Assumption

The senior was 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and four RBIs, leading the top-seeded Knights to an 11-1 win over Pella in six innings in a 3A quarterfinal. Dreyer also picked up the pitching win as Assumption moved to a semifinal against Independence.

Marcus Beatty, Independence

The senior had three hits, including a triple, and scored three runs as the Mustangs held on for an 8-7 win over West Delaware in a Class 3A quarterfinal. Independence jumped to a 6-0 lead, but had to hold off a furious comeback to reach a semifinal.

Trey Weber, Independence

The sophomore leadoff hitter had two hits and scored four runs in an 8-7 win over West Delaware in a Class 3A quarterfinal.

Brayden Kerr, Sergeant Bluff-Luton

The freshman singled, stole two bases and scored the winning run in the top of the eighth inning on a controversial play in Warriors’ 5-4 Class 3A quarterfinal win over Council Bluffs Lewis Central. Lewis Central seemingly recorded a strikeout to end the inning, but the third strike was dropped and the throw to first base was late, allowing Kerr to score the go-ahead run. Lewis Central went down in order in the bottom of the eighth.

Cole Conlon, Sergeant Bluff-Luton

The senior pitched two innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win as SB-L clipped Council Bluffs Lewis Central in a 3A quarterfinal. Conlon retired the Titans in order in the bottom of the eighth and the Warriors advanced to a semifinal.

Garrett Kadolph, Western Dubuque

The senior and Augustana recruit doubled home the tying and go-ahead runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Eagles a dramatic 4-3 win over Winterset in a Class 3A quarterfinal. Western Dubuque will play Sergeant Bluff-Luton in a semifinal.