Four-run seventh helps Baxter baseball rally past rival Spartans

BAXTER — A four-run seventh inning rallied the Baxter baseball team past rival Collins-Maxwell on Friday.

Colton Moffit fanned 12 batters over seven innings and Liam Trent’s RBI double pushed the Bolts to a 4-3 win over the Spartans during Iowa Star Conference South Division play.

It was Baxter’s third straight win and the victory snapped a two-game skid against Collins-Maxwell.

The Bolts, who improved to 5-1 in the ISC South, claimed their 11th win of the season, which sets a new school record after posting back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2023 and 2024.

Collins-Maxwell, which defeated Baxter 6-0 back on May 27, scored twice in the fourth and once in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead. Baxter out-hit the Spartans 7-6 and committed two errors.

Trent doubled twice and had two RBIs, James Esqueda doubled and scored in the seventh and had two RBIs and Hayden Burdess collected two hits.

Moffit doubled, Cael Wishman had one hit, Cody Spurgeon walked once and Derek Rominger walked, scored one run and stole one base.

Jace Bottorff reached on an error and scored in the seventh and Nolan Hill was plated in the seventh, too.

Moffit (6-0) earned the pitching win after allowing three runs — one earned — on six hits and two walks. He fanned 12.

He lowered his earned run average to .99 and has 73 strikeouts over 42 1/3 innings this summer.

The Spartans (5-9) were led by Cooper Wierson, who doubled at the plate and pitched into the seventh inning and fanned 13 on the mound.

Baxter 12, Rockford 0

ROCKFORD — Wishman set a new school record on the mound, seven Bolts had at least one hit and Baxter shut out Rockford, 12-0, on Wednesday.

The Bolts scored five runs in the first and plated three in the seventh for the easy win in Iowa Star Conference cross-division action.

Wishman reached base three times at the plate and struck out a school-record 16 batters on the mound.

Rockford went down swinging 18 times in the game and was limited to only three hits.

The Bolts out-hit Rockford 10-3. They also walked nine times and stole 11 bases.

Aiden Johnson, Colten Damman and Burdess all had two hits to lead the Baxter offense. Johnson doubled, scored one run and had three RBIs, Burdess doubled, scored one run, had one RBI, walked once and stole two bases and Damman walked twice, scored four runs and stole three bases.

Wishman finished with one hit, one run, two RBIs, one walk and three steals and he was hit by one pitch.

Moffit doubled, had one RBI, walked once and scored one run, Bottorff totaled one hit, one run and was hit by one pitch, Esqueda had the other hit and drove in two runs and Trent walked once, stole one base and had one RBI.

Tate Schnathorst walked once, scored one run and stole one base, Cole Frasher and Hill both walked once, Alec Robinson scored one run and stole one base and Blake Maxwell scored one run.

Wishman earned the win on the mound after allowing no runs, three hits, two walks and one hit batter. His school-record 16 strikeouts came in only six innings and he totaled just 99 pitches.

Trent tossed the final inning and fanned two.

Rockford (0-13) was led by Alex Havaranek, who finished with two hits, one walk and two steals. He was the only Warriors’ player to not strikeout.

Baxter 8, Montezuma 7

BAXTER — The Bolts overcame an early deficit and scored all eight of its runs in the final two frames during an 8-7 non-conference victory over Montezuma on Tuesday.

The Braves led 1-0 after one and went up 2-0 in the sixth before the Bolts scored five in the sixth to take a lead.

Montezuma went back in front with a five-run seventh, but the Bolts won it with three runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Eight Bolts had at least one hit and Baxter out-hit the Braves 11-5. Moffit, Damman and Esqueda all had two hits to lead the offense.

Damman doubled, scored one run and had three RBIs, including the game winner. Moffit had one RBI and walked once and Esqueda contributed one RBI and one steal.

Trent, Bottorff, Schathorst, Burdess and Spurgeon all had one hit. Trent scored two runs and walked once, Bottorff and Schnathorst posted one hit, one run and one RBI each and Spurgeon added one run and one walk.

Burdess stole one base, Wishman walked once and scored one run and Robinson scored one run.

Hill tossed the first six innings but took the no decision after allowing three earned runs on two hits, four walks and four hit batters. He fanned six in six innings.

Damman got two outs in the seventh but not before allowing four earned runs on three hits, one walk and one hit batter with one strikeout.

Johnson (1-0) got the final out to earn the win. He gave up no runs and surrendered one hit.

Montezuma (4-7) got one hit and three RBIs from Isaac Wedgewood and Easton Hudnut tallied two hits and one run. Broox Stockman walked once, was hit by one pitch, scored two runs and had one RBI.

Riceville 4, Baxter 1

BAXTER — Moffit fanned 14 batters over seven innings, but the Bolts lost to Riceville in extra innings on June 16.

Baxter scored the tying run in the fourth, but the Wildcats plated three in the top of the eighth and won the Iowa Star Conference cross-division game, 4-1, in eight.

Baxter out-hit Riceville 8-5 and both teams committed one error.

Rominger had two hits to lead the offense, while Trent, Spurgeon, Wishman, Moffit, Esqueda and Bottorff tallied one hit each.

Rominger tripled, had one RBI and stole one base, Spurgeon walked twice, Wishman and Moffit both doubled, Esqueda scored one run and stole one base, Trent swiped one bag and Bottorff walked once.

Moffit threw the first seven innings but took the no decision. He surrendered one earned run on three hits, one walk and one hit batter and fanned 14. He threw 89 pitches.

Wishman pitched the eighth and took the loss after allowing three unearned runs on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.

Adam Elbert led Riceville with two hits, two runs and one stolen base.