April 19, 2024

Jurgens’ homer powers CMB to HOIC title

By Troy Hyde

Collins-Maxwell/Baxter senior Payge Jurgens (26) meets her teammates at homeplate after drilling her sixth home run of the season Wednesday in Collins. The Raiders defeated Roland-Story 2-1 and, coupled with a Saydel loss to Greene County, won their first Heart of Iowa Conference title since 2010. (Photo by)

COLLINS — Collins-Maxwell/Baxter’s Payge Jurgens hit her sixth home run of the season on Senior Night, and eighth-grader Mikayla Houge recorded her 100th strikeout on the year during the Raiders’ 2-1 win over Roland-Story on Wednesday.

Jurgens’ home run gave the Raiders an early lead and then an RBI ground out by junior Megan Ritter proved to be the difference as Class 3A No. 13 CMB won its first Heart of Iowa Conference title since 2010.

The Raiders are now 13-2 in HOIC play. No. 15 Saydel lost 9-8 to Greene County on Wednesday. That was the Eagles’ fourth conference loss, and the two teams have one league game left.

Houge struck out six, allowed three hits and walked two. She now has 101 strikeouts in her first varsity season and is 11-3 on the year.

Jurgens’ homer came in the second inning. Roland-Story (10-16, 5-9) tied the game with an unearned run in the fifth. Ritter’s RBI ground out in the fifth scored courtesy runner Abby Husak to put the Raiders up 2-1.

Sophomore Katie Camp had CMB’s only other hit.

CMB plays at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Saydel (20-10, 11-4).