By Becky Walz,
Mason Avila winds up in the batter’s box in a home Decorah contest earlier this season. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Becky Walz)
Fans of the Decorah baseball team (8-2, 5-1 NEIC) had lots to cheer about last week as the Vikings picked up a two more of wins and leads the Northeast Iowa Conference.
Big numbers
The hits kept coming for the Vikes, as well as the TigerHawks Wednesday, as Decorah and North Fayette Valley (1-8, 1-4 UIC) combined for 29 hits in the non-conference dual in West Union. In the end, the Vikings did just enough to pull out the win 20-15.
NFV put up four runs in the first to put Decorah on alert. The Vikes were undeterred, countering with three in the second and eight in the third, taking full advantage of a combined nine walks in the two frames. The hosts got one back in the bottom of the third; however, a two-out single in the fourth by Fisher Tweten helped push Decorah even further ahead, 15-5. As the game wore on, NFV continued to scratch at the Vikes’ lead to no avail and Decorah responded with four runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. A late-game surge gave the TigerHawks hope, but the comeback fell short.
Combining for seven strikeouts in seven innings of work on the hill were Mason Avila and Will Teslow.
In the batter’s box Ethan Holthaus was 4-for-5, drove in four runs and had four stolen bases. Brayden Hartl went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI.
Dec 0 3 8 4 0 4 1 20 12 2
NFV 4 0 1 2 1 3 4 15 17 5
Mason Avila (WP) – 4IP, 7R, 10H, 4BB, 4K; Will Teslow (RP) – 3IP, 8R, 10H, 4BB, 3K
2B – Brayden Hartl 1; Teslow 1; 1B – Ethan Holthaus 4; Casey Brickley 2; Hartl 1; Kelley Gates 1; Fisher Tweten 1; Brady Benzing 1; RBI – Holthaus 4; Hartl 3; Tweten 3; Avila 2; Kaden Alstad 1; Caleb Meyer 1; Gates 1; Ben Wymer 1; Teslow 1; SB – Holthaus 4; Hartl 2; Meyer 1; Tweten 1; Brickley 1
On the road
It was a tale of two different games for the Vikes as the doubleheader originally scheduled for Friday night was played Saturday in New Hampton (9-3, 2-2 NEIC), ending in a split.
The NEIC squads got game one in Friday night before the skies opened up with downpour with the Chickasaws winning, 7-0. Decorah had just four hits in the contest with Hartl, Cash Riehle, Casey Brickley and Mason Avila all having one. Kaden Alstad suffered the loss despite eight strikeouts.
Decorah returned to New Hampton Saturday morning with determination, scoring once in the first after Hartl was issued a walk. Back-to-back singles by Alstad and Caleb Meyer drove in the first run of the game. The two teams traded runs in the second and third, leaving the Vikes with a 2-1 lead. The Vikes maintained a 4-3 lead with the squads each putting up two in the fifth. A three-run sixth frame pushed Decorah out front for the 7-3 win.
Picking up the win was Landon Kuennen with nine strikeouts.
Alstad went 4-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, while Fisher Tweten provided a double and drove in two runs.
“After a very frustrating and disappointing offensive and defensive effort behind good pitching in game one of this two-day doubleheader, we were very pleased with the results of the second game Saturday,” said Coach Adam Riley. “Landon Kuennen and our defense were fundamentally sound to put us in position to get a number of timely hits to make the difference in game two. As a team on the field, we are still growing.”
Dec 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 6
NH 2 3 0 1 1 0 x 7 6 1
Kaden Alstad (LP) – 5IP, 7R, 4H, 2BB, 8K; Cash Riehle (RP) – 1IP, 2H
1B – Hartl 1; Riehle 1; Brickley 1; Avila 1; SB – Ben Wymer 1
Dec 1 0 1 0 2 3 0 7 9 3
NH 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 4 0
Landon Kuennen (WP) – 6IP, 3R, 3H, 2BB, 9K; Holthaus (RP) – 1IP, 1H, 1K
2B – Alstad 2; Tweten 1; 1B – Alstad 2; Holthaus 1; Hartl 1; Meyer 1; Ben Wymer 1; RBI – Alstad 2; Tweten 2; Hartl 1; Meyer 1; Brady Bohner 1; SB – Cade Olson 1; Wymer 1
Coming up
The Vikes welcome Charles City to Decorah Tuesday, June 6, and Waverly-Shell Rock Friday, June 9, for NEIC varsity doubleheaders with both nights kicking off at 5 p.m.
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