The Ankeny baseball team was hoping to get a sweep against visiting Ames on Monday.
The Hawks had to settle for a split.
The Little Cyclones used a three-run rally in the sixth inning to post a 7-4 victory in the nightcap of the doubleheader, allowing them to earn a split after Ankeny won the opener, 7-5.
“We let a popup fall in with two guys on base,” said Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz. “Somebody needs to come catch the ball. That was a tough five earned runs for Sammy (Andrews).”
Andrews (0-2) recorded 11 strikeouts in five-plus innings and allowed just four hits. But he also issued six walks.
“That’s just too many free bases,” Balvanz said. “We made too many mistakes, and we’ve been getting away with that for awhile.”
The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the Hawks, who got two hits apiece from Thomas DeBrower, Ben Sandvig and Isaiah Otten. Sandvig, Tamden Webb-Tate, Dylan Schlee and Reid Johnson each drove in a run.
Ankeny used a four-run outburst in the fourth inning to break a 2-2 tie in the opener. Jack Clevidence went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs.
Max Watson and Schlee also knocked in runs for the Hawks. DeBrower and Webb-Tate each had a double.
Alex Griess (3-0) remained unbeaten on the mound, allowing four earned runs on eight hits over the first six innings. He had six strikeouts.
Schlee then got the final three outs to earn a save.
“Alex threw really well, and then Dylan came in and did what he does–which is throw strikes,” Balvanz said.
Austin Gabrielson had a big game for the Little Cyclones in a losing effort. He went 3-for-3 with three doubles and an RBI.
The Hawks are now 6-2 in the CIML Iowa Conference and 7-6 overall. Ames’ records are 4-2 and 8-4.
Ankeny will play a conference doubleheader at Marshalltown (3-12) on Wednesday.
