On Wednesday, the Ankeny Centennial baseball team played a doubleheader against Dowling Catholic that featured strong pitching performances by both squads, resulting in a total of just nine runs being scored.
Thursday’s twinbill against visiting Fort Dodge was pretty much the exact opposite.
With both pitching staffs depleted after playing four games in the previous three days, the two teams combined for 47 runs in a doubleheader split. Third-ranked Centennial posted a 13-12 victory in the opener before the Dodgers rebounded to win the nightcap, 13-9.
“There were a lot of walks and a lot of hits,” said Centennial coach Mark Hey. “Both teams were kind of throwing some guys who didn’t have a lot of varsity experience this year.”
In the opener, the Jaguars (12-5) built an early 8-3 lead, thanks to a seven-run first inning. But Fort Dodge (7-10) then erupted for eight runs in the fourth.
Centennial later tied the game at 12-12 in the bottom of the fifth, then scored the go-ahead run in the sixth. Nathan Reinke (1-0) pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory, allowing just one hit.
The Jaguars won despite allowing 10 unearned runs. Starter Kaden Stewart gave up six hits over the first 3 2/3 innings.
Trey Morris went 2-for-4 with a double, triple and five RBIs. Keaton Gray went 2-for-3 with a double and drove in two runs.
Derek Boike and Gabriel Monosmith also had two RBIs apeice. Avery Gates went 2-for-4 and scored a pair of runs.
In the second game, the Dodgers used a 10-run fifth inning to erase Centennial’s 6-2 lead. Cameron Kuehl (0-1) took the loss for the Jaguars, allowing eight runs on nine hits over the first 4 1/3 innings.
Reinke went 2-for-3 and had three RBIs in the loss. He also pitched two more innings of relief.
“Reinke deserves a lot of credit,” Hey said. “He pitched both games and threw extremely well, and he also had some big hits.”
Josh Meador went 3-for-4 with a double and one RBI. Morris added a home run, his second of the season.
Ryan Vermeer went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Monosmith also had a double and knocked in two runs.
“Gabriel started both games and did a really nice job,” Hey said of the sophomore. “He was one of the younger guys who really stepped up for us.”
