Top stars, best performances on Day 3 of the Iowa high school baseball state tournaments

By Barry Poe 

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

The third installment is from semifinal action Wednesday in Class 1A at Carroll and 3A at Iowa City.

Cael Ortmann, Remsen St. Mary’s

The junior third baseman was 2-for-2 with four RBIs and two runs scored as the unbeaten and top-ranked Hawks cruised to a 10-0 win over Kingsley-Pierson in five innings in a Class 1A semifinal. St. Mary’s (35-0) will play New London in the championship game Friday.

Jaxon Bunkers, Remsen St. Mary’s

The junior improved his pitching record to 9-0 with a three-hitter as the Hawks disposed of Kingsley-Pierson 10-0 in five innings in a 1A semifinal. Bunkers was also 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in two runs.

Carter Allen, New London

The senior first baseman finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs as the Tigers crushed second seed Mason City Newman 16-1 in four innings in a Class 1A semifinal. New London will now play Remsen St. Mary’s for the 1A title Friday at noon in Carroll.

Jay Costello, Davenport Assumption

The senior second baseman had two hits and drove in three runs in the Knights’ 13-3 win over Independencd in five innings in a Class 3A semifinal. Assumption scored 13 unanswered runs after giving up three in the top of the first inning, including six runs in the second. The Knights will play Western Dubuque for the 3A championship.

Max Stein, Davenport Assumption

The senior right fielder had a single and double, driving in two runs in Assumption’s 13-3 Class 3A semifinal win over Independence. Michael Ray added a single, double and three RBIs for the Knights, who play Western Dubuque for the 3A title Friday in Iowa City.

Isaac Then, Western Dubuque

The junior designated hitter clubbed a three-run homer as the Bobcats outscored Sergeant Bluff-Luton 9-6 in a Class 2A semifinal. Western Dubuque snapped a 5-5 tie with three runs in the fifth and one in the sixth and will play Davenport Assumption for the 3A state championship.

Bryn Vantiger, Western Dubuque

The senior catcher collected two hits and knocked in a pair, helping Western Dubuque reach the Class 3A title game with a 9-6 win over Sergeant Bluff-Luton in a semifinal at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City.