Shepley’s complete game leads Baxter baseball past Janesville

JANESVILLE — Cael Shepley tossed a complete game and the Baxter baseball team plated the only two runs it needed in the fifth and sixth frames during a 2-0 road win over Janesville on Monday.

The Bolts won the Iowa Star Conference game with only four hits. Janesville had three hits and committed one error. The Bolts spoiled the Wildcats’ Senior Night.

Cody Damman led Baxter (10-11 overall, 8-7 in the conference) with one hit, one walk and one steal and Shepley, Ben Richardson and Kolton Hill had the other hits.

Shepley doubled at the plate and tossed seven innings on the mound. He allowed no runs on three hits and five walks and struck out nine.

Hill collected one RBI, Cael Wishman walked once and scored one run and James Esqueda drew one walk.

Keegan Eastman had two of the three Janesville (10-10, 9-5) hits and Kole Haan allowed one earned run and struck out five in six innings.

Earlham 8, Baxter 6

EARLHAM — The Bolts couldn’t hold a two-run lead and a late-inning comeback ultimately fell short during an 8-6 non-conference road loss to Earlham on Tuesday.

Richardson, Damman, Wishman and Perrin Sulzle all had two hits apiece as the Bolts out-hit the Cardinals 8-7 but were plagued by three errors.

Baxter broke a scoreless game with a two-run fourth inning, but Earlham plated seven runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to take the lead for good.

The Bolts scored four in the seventh, but the attempted comeback fell short.

Sulzle and Wishman each added one run, one walk, one RBI and one steal, Richardson scored once, walked once and stole one base and Damman stole two bases and scored one run.

Shepley walked twice, scored one run, had one RBI and stole one base, Aiden Johnson tallied two RBIs, Colton Moffit chipped in one walk and one RBI and Hill added one walk and one run.

The Bolts stole six bases but struck out nine times at the plate.

Moffit started the game on the mound but did not factor into the decision after allowing no earned runs on two hits and one walk and he fanned two in 2 1/3 innings.

Johnson threw one inning and surrendered no earned runs on one hit.

Sulzle pitched two innings, took the loss, allowed three earned runs on one hit and three walks and he struck out one.

Wishman got two outs but not before giving up four runs — one earned — on two hits and two walks.

Earlham (14-10) was led by Brody Morrison and Kaden Kasal, who each had two hits. Morrison also stole three bases, Ty Forcht had two RBIs and Caleb Smith scored two runs. The Cardinals stole eight bases in the victory.

Kasal was one of four Earlham pitchers and he got the win after allowing one earned run on no hits and three walks and he struck out four.

Ankeny Christian Academy 15, Baxter 1, five innings

URBANDALE — The Bolts were limited to two hits and a slow start plagued Baxter during a non-conference loss to Ankeny Christian Academy on Wednesday.

The Bolts trailed 10-1 after three and the Eagles added five more in the fourth to end the game early.

Baxter was out-hit 13-2 and the Bolts committed two errors.

Damman had the team’s two hits and Richardson walked three times and scored one run. Shepley, Richardson and Wishman each stole one base.

Damman (1-4) pitched one inning and took the loss after allowing four runs — two earned — on four hits.

Wishman, Moffit and Hill also pitched for the Bolts.

Wishman went 1 2/3 innings and surrendered six earned runs on two hits, one walk and four hit batters. He struck out two.

Moffit allowed five earned runs on five hits, one walk and one hit batter in one inning. He struck out two. Hill got one out and allowed no runs, one hit and one walk and he hit one batter.

Landon Curtis led ACA (14-11) with four hits, two doubles, two runs and six RBIs and Dylan Quick added two hits, three runs and two RBIs.

The Bolts open postseason play against Madrid at 5 p.m. on Saturday in Collins.