Ankeny Centennial’s magical season on the baseball diamond came to an end one week earlier than most people expected.
The top-ranked Jaguars went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base in a stunning 5-1 loss to visiting Ames in a Class 4A substate final on Wednesday.
“We had some chances early that we didn’t capitalize on, and sometimes those do come back to haunt you,” said Centennial coach Mark Hey.
Ames scored all five of its runs in the final two innings to qualify for state for the first time since 1995. The Little Cyclones (29-13) will play No. 4 Iowa City High (30-12) in the Class 4A quarterfinals on Tuesday at Iowa City at 7:30 p.m.
The Jaguars, who were seeking their first trip to the state tournament, closed out the best season in school history at 30-8. They went 5-6 down the stretch after a 25-2 start.
“I just can’t express enough how proud I am, being able to be associated with the kids that we have,” Hey said. “Their families are great, and it’s a great community. We don’t always get the ending that we want, but that doesn’t diminish from the people that they are and the things that they accomplished.”
Centennial pitcher Joey Oakie took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Ames rallied. Carter Geffre was hit by a pitch to ignite the Little Cyclones, then Austin Gabrielson followed with a double for the team’s first hit.
Brayden Beelner and Joshua Motl hit back-to-back RBI singles to give Ames a 2-1 lead. Beelner was thrown out trying for third, but Motl later advanced to third on a wild pitch and then came home on a sacrifice fly by Graffton Linder to make it 3-1.
“(Ames) didn’t do much all night, but when they needed the big hit, they got the big hit,” Hey said. “Sometimes you have to tip your hat to your opponent and say they did a great job.”
Oakie (7-3) left the game after giving up a leadoff walk in the seventh, his fourth of the night. He hit two other batters with pitches while recording eight strikeouts and allowed three earned runs on three hits.
“There was just a little stretch there in the sixth inning where (Oakie) struggled a little bit,” Hey said. “But early on, he had really good stuff.”
Easton Pratt replaced Oakie on the mound. With two outs, Gabrielson doubled again to drive in two more runs.
Geffre (6-0) then retired the Jaguars in order in the bottom of the inning to close out the game. The Iowa recruit scattered nine hits in the win.
“Geffre was outstanding,” Hey said. “We got some hits off him, but when he had to make a big pitch, he made a big pitch.”
While Oakie retired the first eight batters that he faced, Geffre was constantly working his way out of trouble. Centennial put runners at second and third with no outs in the first, but was unable to score.
After leaving two more runners stranded in the second, the Jaguars took a 1-0 lead in the third. Nick Severson tripled for his second hit of the game and was replaced by courtesy runner Jack Compton, who raced home one out later on a sacrifice fly by Oakie.
In the fourth, Centennial put runners on the corners with one out, but Geffre again got out of the jam. Easton Miller led off the fifth with an infield single, but Severson then grounded into a double play.
After Ames took the lead in the sixth, the Jaguars tried to answer in the bottom of the frame. They loaded the bases with two outs before Geffre retired Isaac Bruhl on a fly ball to center.
“There’s just an awful lot of good players in the state,” Hey said. “Geffre’s a good player, and he had a good game. Sometimes, that’s just the way it goes.”
Lucas Bruhl went 2-for-3 for the Jaguars. Miller and Severson each went 2-for-4, and Sean Stewart went 1-for-2 with a sacrifice.
Miller and Severson are among the seniors who played their final game.
“I hope the guys who have been here for the last four years enjoyed their time in the program and are proud of their accomplishments,” Hey said.
