When the Ankeny baseball team scores 10 or more runs, the Hawks are virtually unbeatable.
Fourth-ranked Ankeny pounded out 11 hits and rolled to a 12-4 victory over Bettendorf in the Brent Prange Classic on Saturday at Valley. The game was moved from Ankeny due to rain, which later wiped out another game against Sioux City Heelan.
The Hawks (19-6) reached double digits in runs for the 12th time this season, improving to 12-0 in those games. Bettendorf’s record fell to 6-16.
Jase Bauer went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and two RBIs in support of sophomore Alex Greiss, who went the distance on the mound and scattered seven hits to earn the win. Greiss (2-0) walked two and had four strikeouts.
“Greiss was great, and Jase continued his hitting tear,” said Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz.
The Hawks scored at least one run in each of the first five innings, highlighted by a four-run outburst in the fourth. Four of their hits went for extra bases, increasing their season total to 97.
Carter Smith doubled and drove in two runs, while Brody Brecht doubled and had one RBI. Ryan Crandall went 2-for-5 and knocked in three runs.
Colin Riggs went 3-for-3 to raise his batting average to .408. Kade Somers went 2-for-3 and drove in a run, while Weston Fulk also had one RBI.
Bauer hit his sixth home run and is now batting .518 on the season. Along with Fulk, he continues to rank among the state leaders in multiple categories.
Fulk leads the state with 45 hits and 91 total bases, and he is tied for first with 15 doubles. Bauer is tied for second with 43 hits and 78 total bases.
Fulk also leads Class 4A with 40 RBIs and a 1.011 slugging percentage. Bauer is second in slugging percentage at .940.
Ankeny will host a CIML Iowa Conference doubleheader against Ankeny Centennial (15-13) on Monday. The Hawks lead the league with a 14-0 mark and can clinch at least a tie for the conference title with just one more win.
