The Ankeny Centennial baseball team saw its 12-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday, but the Jaguars then bounced back with an 11-1 victory over Coon Rapids-Bayard in five innings in the Brent Prange Classic at Centennial.
Centennial scored four runs in the first inning and two more in the fourth. After Coon Rapids-Bayard scored a run in the top of the fifth inning, the Jaguars answered with five runs in the bottom of the frame to end the game.
Centennial improved its record to 20-10. Coon Rapids-Bayard, the No. 8 team in Class 1A, dropped to 21-4.
“We just struggled a little bit against Sioux City Heelan, and that happens sometimes,” said Centennial coach Mark Hey, whose team had earlier dropped a 15-5 decision to the Crusaders in five innings. “I was really happy with the way we came back against Coon Rapids, because they’re a very good team. It was good to see them come back.”
Sean Stewart (4-2) tossed a one-hitter in the win. He walked one and had six strikeouts.
“Stewart pitched very well,” Hey said. “He was really on his game. He commanded all of his pitches and was ahead in the count all day. He just had an outstanding game.”
Kyle Miller doubled and had two RBIs for the Jaguars. Nick Severson also drove in a pair of runs.
Cole Grider, Damin Churchman, Kyler Hackfort and Leyton Kolln each had an RBI for Centennial.
In the earlier game, Heelan (20-12) took a 4-0 lead in the first inning, then added two runs in the second, five in the third and four more in the fifth.
Ian Gill went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs for the Crusaders. George Tsiobanos doubled and drove in two runs, while Kaleb Gengler also had two RBIs.
Easton Pratt (5-1) took the loss. He allowed six earned runs in two innings.
Stewart doubled and knocked in a run for Centennial. Jack Compton, Lucas Bruhl and Isaac Bruhl each had an RBI.
The Jaguars will travel to Ames (16-14) on Wednesday for a CIML Iowa Conference doubleheader. They swept the Little Cyclones on June 13.
Hey said he has started the process of lining up his pitchers for the postseason.
“With the state tournament being moved up a week this year, we’ve had to do that,” he said.
