VICTOR — They needed to win. That’s all it would take to capture at least a share of the 2017 South Iowa Cedar League baseball championship.
Lynnville-Sully’s Hawks waited out a weather delay then rallied late to force extra innings. They pushed across a run in the top of the eighth inning Wednesday to beat host HLV’s Warriors, 6-5.
With the victory, the Hawk baseball team became co-champions with Colfax-Mingo’s Tigerhawks. Both teams finished with 14-2 SICL records.
Lynnville-Sully’s softball team came up short Wednesday at Victor. It lost 4-1 to HLV.
“This was a huge win for us in the aspect of overcoming challenges during the course of the game a well as bringing home the first conference championship since 2001,” Lynnville-Sully baseball head coach Bob Scandridge said.
The Warriors scored two runs in the first inning but the Hawks gained the lead with a three-run third inning. Two walks and two singles produced the runs for Lynnville-Sully.
HLV tied the game at 3-3 on a run in the fourth then took the lead, 5-3, by scoring twice in the fifth inning. Back came Lynnville-Sully in the sixth to knot it up again.
Bray Noun Harder was hit by a pitch to lead off the sixth and Corbin James singled with one out. Josh Dunsbergen drew a walk to load the bases. Evan Squires connected for an RBI single and Caden Dunsbergen driving in the tying run on a ground ball to first base.
In the eighth inning, Rylan James singled to lead things off with Corbin James moving him over on a sacrifice bunt. With two gone, Squires’ base hit chased home Rylan James for the go-ahead run.
Two big defensive plays in the bottom of the eighth inning closed out the game and delivered the SICL championship to the Hawks. The Warriors had their leadoff batter on but the next batter hit into a double play.
“We have had so many players come up big during the season and last night Evan Squires went 2-for-2 with both hits driving in runs,” Scandridge said. “Corbin James’ diving catch in right field to end the game in extra innings is highlight material.”
Squires and Rylan James each had two singles for Lynnville-Sully. Caden Dunsbergen, Carson Dunsbergen, Elijah Collins and Corbin James each had a single.
Elijah Collins was the winning pitcher, coming on in relief of starter Josh Dunsbergen. Elijah Collins worked 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Josh Dunsbergen went 4 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and five walks, and striking out six.
“This team believes in each other and they seem to find away to keep battling and give themselves chances,” Scandridge said.
Lynnville-Sully’s baseball team (15-5) has two nonconference games remaining. The Hawks host Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont at 6 p.m. Monday at Sully. They play Prairie City-Monroe at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Prairie City.
Lynnville-Sully’s softball team got behind HLV 3-0 in the first inning and could not dig itself out. The Hawks scored a run in the second and the Warriors got it back in the third for the final margin, 4-1.
Mallory Loftus was the losing pitcher for Lynnville-Sully. She allowed five hits, walked four and struck out three.
McKinlely Conover hit a single and a triple for the Hawks, and Carson Fisk had a single and a double. Haley James had two singles. Hitting a single each we’re Caitlin Alberts, Brenna Lanser, Shiloh Cunningham and Janelle Rozendaal.
The Hawk softball team finished SICL play at 11-5. Lynnville-Sully (16-10) is schedule play in Saturday’s Carlisle tournament before entering Class 1A Region 3 play on Wednesday at home against the winner of Colo-NESCO and GMG, which play Monday.
Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com