Top stars, best performances from the Iowa high school baseball state tournament
By Barry Poe
Here are some stars from last week’s Iowa state baseball tournament.
If you know of a top performance we should include, please e-mail nate@scorebooklive.com.
Beau Goodwin, Kingsley-Pierson
Goodwin was 3-for-3 with two RBI as the Panthers downed South Winneshiek 6-1 in a Class 1A quarterfinal. K-P scored five runs in the first inning and advanced to a semifinal.
Luke Czarnecki, Lisbon
Czarnecki, the Lions’ catcher, was 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI in a 5-0 1A quarterfinal victory over Burlington Notre Dame. Hunter Clark pitched a complete-game shutout.
Cael Ortmann, Remsen St. Mary’s
The senior collected three hits and picked up a pitching save in relief of winner Collin Homan (8-0). St. Mary’s scored three in the bottom of the sixth and Ortmann gave up a leadoff hit in the seventh, but worked out of trouble in the Class 1A quarterfinal. Ortmann had two doubles and an RBI as the Hawks topped Lisbon 7-4 in the 1A championship game. St. Mary’s won its eighth state title (combined summer and fall), but its first since 2016.
Conner Maston, Lynnville-Sully
Maston was the winning pitcher in relief of brother Carson and also had two hits, including a double in the 1A quarterfinal. The Hawks led 8-0 before Gehlen scored seven times in the fifth inning. However, the Jays went down in order in the sixth and seventh frames.
Reece Wragge, North Polk
Wragge picked up his 10th pitching win, allowing one hitand striking out nine in five innings. Wragge also had two hits and an RBI in the 3-1 Class 3A quarterfinal win over Spencer.
Trey Lee, Carlisle
Lee hit a three-run triple during a five-run fifth inning for Carlisle in a 5-2 victory over Marion in a 3A quarterfinal. Each team had four hits, but Marion committed an error.
Connor Maiers, Western Dubuque
The designated hitter had two hits and scored three runs for the Bobcats in a 10-0, five-inning win over Harlan in a 3A quarterfinal in Iowa City. Isaac Then struck out seven and allowed three hits on the mound.
Bryce Rudiger, Dubuque Wahlert
Rudiger notched a pitching win and drove in two runs for the Golden Eagles in an 11-1, five-inning triumph over Ballard in a 3A quarterfinal. Rudiger gave up three hits and struck out six while rapping a pair of RBI singles.
Luke Schieltz, Dyersville Beckman
Schieltz had a triple and a clutch, two-out RBI double in Beckman’s 5-4 Class 2A quarterfinal win over Pella Christian. Schieltz’s double sent the game to extra innings and the Blazers won it in the eighth. Nate Offerman went the distance on the mound, improving his record to 10-0.
Lucas Fett, West Lyon
Fett had an RBI and pitched two hitless innings with four strikeouts. West Lyon had a 6-0 lead after three innings of the 2A quarterfinal before Van Buren County got five in the fourth, but the Wildcats held on, thanks to some clutch mound work by Fett.
Jack Menster, Cascade
The senior had two hits and four RBIs, including a bases-clearing triple that put the Cougars ahead for good in a 7-6 Class 2A quarterfinal win over Woodward-Granger. Cascade reached the semifinals for the second time in school history and first since 2015.
Sam Hesselman, Johnston
Hesselman was 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored as the defending 4A state champions ousted Iowa City Liberty 9-3 in quarterfinal action in Iowa City. Will Nuss also had three hits, while Carter Wollums struck out 10 in six innings pitched.
George Nahas, West Des Moines Dowling
Nahas saved the game for the Maroons, striking out the final two batters in a 4-3 Class 4A quarterfinal victory over Dallas Center-Grimes. DC-G had two runners on base in the seventh when Nahas came through. Cooper Nicholson and Beau Gamble each homered for Dowling.
Maddox Strassburg, Cedar Falls
The Tigers’ catcher had a triple and single, driving in three runs in an 11-1 victory over Southeast Polk in a 4A quarterfinal. Cedar Falls scored nine runs in the first three innings.
Carter Geffre, Ames
Geffre struck out 13 and scattered six hits in 6.2 innings on the mound and the Little Cyclones held off Iowa City High 9-7 in a 4A quarterfinal. Ames scored five runs in the top of the seventh to take a 9-2 lead, but the Little Hawks tallied five of their own in the bottom half.
Adam Kayko, Johnston
Kayko hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving the Dragons a 6-5 win over Ames in the Class 4A championship game. Johnston scored a run in the seventh to tie and then won on Kayko’s heroics, repeating as state champs.
Isaac Then, Western Dubuque
The senior lefthander pitched the Bobcats to their second straight Class 3A state championship, scattering six hits with one earned run and five hits in 5.2 innings in a 6-2 win over North Polk. Western Dubuque was ranked No. 1 all season and held serve at the state tournament.
Luke Schieltz, Dyersville Beckman
Schieltz had three hits and three RBIs, leading the Blazers to a 7-1 victory over Underwood in the Class 2A state championship. Beckman won its seventh title, but first since 2017.
