Senior Malachi Johnson has led the ninth-ranked Ankeny Christian Academy baseball team to a 25-1 record. He is the state’s third-leading hitter with a .568 average.
Johnson has one home run, six triples and 10 doubles among his 42 hits. He has struck out just two times while knocking in 21 runs.
On the mound, Johnson has compiled a 9-0 mark with a 0.96 ERA. He has walked just eight batters while recording 73 strikeouts in 51 innings of work.
Here is some inside info on Johnson:
Congratulations on an outstanding season thus far. What has been the highlight for you?
The highlight of the season for me was our comeback win against Moravia, who was our biggest competition in our conference. We were down 6-0 and came back and won, 7-6, in the bottom of the seventh (inning). That was also around the time when we were getting noticed by people. (Ankeny Fanatic photographer) Drue Wolfe was there for the first time, so it was really cool to have a game like that to prove ourselves and show that we are a legit team.
You tossed a four-hitter with 10 strikeouts in a 4-0 victory over Cardinal (Eldon) on June 22 in a game that was played at Principal Park. What was that experience like?
That was an amazing experience. Playing on that field was extremely fun and being able to perform well was pretty fun. We had lots of fans at that game, so having all them see that was awesome, too.
You’ve really excelled hitting in the No. 2 spot after batting leadoff for most of your high school career. Was that an easy adjustment for you?
It was pretty easy since I had hit second before on my travel team, and having a guy like Tyler (Mahoney) in front of me is super nice because he gets on base so much. I just have to do my job and try to get on for Eli (Christensen) to hit us in.
Your team opened the season with a 22-game winning streak before suffering its only loss against Clarke (Osceola), 9-1, on June 25. What did your team learn from that loss, and do you think it will be good for you in the long run?
I think it showed us that we can be beaten by anybody, and we have to have a high level of focus every single game. I think it will help us focus on one day and one game at a time.
Your team opened postseason play with a 9-3 victory over Baxter in a Class 1A district quarterfinal on Saturday. Were you worried at all after the Bolts scored a run off you in the top of the first inning?
Honestly, I wasn’t too worried. We knew going in that Baxter was a good hitting team. Up and down the lineup they were threats. We knew they might be able to get a few runs on the board. But I also knew we would be able to get some hits and score as well, so I was never really worried.
You ended up earning your ninth win, allowing two earned runs on four hits over 4 1/3 innings while recording nine strikeouts. Were you happy with the way you pitched?
I was pretty happy with the way I pitched. I was struggling with control a little more than usual, but I knew if I just kept my head in it, I would be fine. I just had to trust my stuff and trust the great defense I have behind me. I was just trying to keep hitters off-balance and keep them guessing, mixing in both the fastball and the offspeed.
Coach Dueker was able to get you off the mound after throwing 62 pitches, which will allow you to throw again on Tuesday against Madrid in the district semifinal. That was the plan, right?
Yes, the goal was to have everybody available so coach can do whatever he wants to do in the next game. We have great pitchers and we don’t care who goes–we have trust in anyone who throws.
Tyler Mahoney and Eli Christensen pitched the other 2 2/3 innings for the Eagles, combining with you on the six-hitter. What did you think of Eli’s performance, since you were behind the plate in the sixth inning when he struck out the side on just 11 pitches?
Eli is an amazing pitcher. If you look at his stats, they just jump off the page. His stuff is electric, and I would put him up against anybody.
What do you know about Madrid, which rallied from an 8-0 deficit to beat Collins-Maxwell, 10-9, in the game that was played before your contest on Saturday at Urbandale?
I know they are a solid team who plays great competition throughout the year, and they are going to be a tough game for us. We just have to go out and play our game, and we’ll see what happens.
What are your plans for next year? Will you play baseball in college?
My plan for next year is to study accounting at Cedarville University. I have not decided whether or not I will play baseball yet.