SULLY – North Mahaska and Lynnville-Sully manage to pair themselves in a Class 1A district baseball final nearly every season. Saturday’s clash was another good battle with Lynnville-Sully winning 3-0. The Hawks (25-3) will meet Ankeny Christian in Pella on Tuesday for a spot in the state tournament.
The game was, in part, a pitching duel between North Mahaska’s Jack Kelderman and Lynnville-Sully’s Lucas Sieck. Kelderman went the distance allowing three runs on four hits, three walks and five strikeouts. Sieck struck out eight and gave up one hit on five innings.
Lynnville-Sully scored twice in the bottom of the first inning. Corder Noun Harder walked to open the inning and stole second and third. With one out, Carson Maston reached on an error to bring in Noun Harder. Back-to-back singles by Lannon Montgomery and Sieck put the Hawks up 2-0.
The Hawks added another run in the fourth inning when Davis Utech reached on an error. Kendric Johnson came in as a courtesy runner for Utech. Noun Harder was issued an intentional walk. With two out, Noun Harder attempted to steal and Johnson raced around and scored during the run down.
North Mahaska had a chance to score in the top of the fifth inning. Kelderman reached base on a Hawk error and reached third on Ryan Groom’s double. Seick struck out the next two batters to end the threat. Kelderman walked in the seventh for North Mahaska’s only other baserunner.
“They are a good team and if you are going to get beat, I’d rather it be to a good team,” said NM coach Kevin Kelderman. “We just couldn’t get that timely hit.
“I thought Jack threw a good game especially after the delay. We made a couple mistakes, and they took advantage.”
The game was delayed 16 minutes when Maston’s foul ball broke the shell of a light above the NM dugout scattering glass along the baseline. Players and Lynnville-Sully staff brought out rakes and shovels to pick up the shards.
“We came back out and got two quick outs,” said Kelderman. “They hit the ball hard, but we were able to get stops.”
Lynnville-Sully could have made a bigger game in the first inning as they had bases loaded with one out. Kelderman recorded a strikeout and shortstop Nate Sampson threw out another runner at first. The Hawks stranded five runners on base.
North Mahaska ends the season 12-15. The Warhawks saw the careers of four players come to an end. Third baseman Carter Lake, first baseman/pitcher Nolan Andersen, Sampson and reserve outfielder and pitcher Carson Doak.
“I told them it is not about wins and losses, but about character,” said Kelderman. “These guys have put in a lot of work for our team.”
