After recording another strikeout to end the fifth inning, Ankeny Centennial pitcher Joey Oakie pumped his fist and screamed with joy.
Oakie went on to toss a one-hitter and had 14 strikeouts as the second-ranked Jaguars posted a 6-1 victory at No. 1 Dowling Catholic in the first game of a CIML Conference doubleheader on Tuesday. The contest was shortened to six innings due to rain, and the nightcap will be played on June 19 when the Maroons visit Centennial.
“I felt like we kind of had a chip on our shoulder not being ranked No. 1, and we felt like we were the better team so we went out there and proved it tonight,” said Oakie.
Centennial improved to 4-0 in the conference and 9-0 overall. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Maroons, whose records fell to 2-2 and 9-2.
The Jaguars have outscored their opponents by a 24-1 margin in the three games that Oakie (3-0) has started. In 16 innings this season, the Iowa recruit has allowed no earned runs on just three hits while racking up 41 strikeouts.
Dowling’s only hit was a single by George Nahas in the fourth inning.
“Joey has done what he’s needed to do, and I’ve never seen a guy feel as good as he has this year on the mound,” said Centennial catcher Nick Severson. “Every pitch has worked, and I feel comfortable throwing any pitch on a 3-2 count. When he pitches, everyone on the team has the mindset if we score one run we are comfortable and feel in control of the game.”
On Tuesday, Dowling scored an unearned run in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Oakie struck out the side, but he hit one batter and walked another, the runners advanced on an error, and Cooper Nicholson came home on a passed ball.
“I had all the confidence in the world that me and my teammates would be able to answer and add on more runs,” Oakie said.
Oakie helped his own cause with a two-out RBI double in the second inning. His hit scored Sean Stewart, who had reached on an infield single with one out.
Stewart later had an RBI single as part of a three-run fifth inning that knocked out Dowling starter Luke Sheridan. He went 2-for-3 in the win.
Severson went 2-for-4 and homered for the second straight game. He hit a two-run blast in the sixth inning off reliever Trey Wilson.
“I wasn’t sure what I was going to see,” said Severson, who is now batting .576. “I had seen three sliders and two fastballs, and I knew he wasn’t going to walk me. I was just ready to go and had a nice swing on it, and it just kept traveling. My swing has been feeling good, and I think over half the team if not the whole team could say they are comfortable at the plate. I think we had 11 hits tonight and when that happens, it’s hard to lose.”
Easton Miller went 2-for-2 with two walks, a stolen base and two runs scored. Damin Churchman went 2-for-3.
Centennial will play a conference game at Valley (6-5) on Wednesday.