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‘They can play that way all the time’: Hawks erupt for 24 runs, sweep Dowling

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Ankeny’s Kinnick Vos hits the ball during the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader at Dowling Catholic. He went 4-for-7 on the night as the Hawks swept the twinbill. (Photo by Dan Holm)

Wednesday’s doubleheader at 10th-ranked Dowling Catholic might have been a turning point for the Ankeny baseball team.

The Hawks used a seven-run eighth inning to post a 12-5 victory in the first game, then erupted for 11 runs in the first inning of the nightcap and went on to complete a sweep with a 12-2 win in five innings.

“I hope it’s a confidence builder for the guys,” said Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz. “They can play that way all the time. I know it’s been a long time since Ankeny has swept a doubleheader over there, and the guys showed a lot of resilience to get both of those wins. They were able to finish a road sweep, and that doesn’t happen a lot in the CIML.”

The Hawks improved to 4-9 in the CIML Conference and 9-14 overall. Dowling’s records dropped to 5-7 and 9-9.

Ankeny’s Karsten Bernholtz rounds third base and heads for home as coach Joe Balvanz yells some instructions to another runner during the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader. (Photo by Dan Holm)

Travis Gerstel (4-1) tossed a four-hitter in the second game. He finished with four strikeouts.

“It’s not easy to warm up and then sit through an 11-run inning,” Balvanz said. “That doesn’t happen very often. Travis wasn’t really sharp the first inning, but he got stronger as the game went on.”

Kinnick Vos went 2-for-3 and scored a pair of runs. Karsten Bernholtz went 2-for-3 and had two RBIs.

Jack Clevidence, Henry Ha and Carson Riggs also knocked in two runs apiece. Brady Carter went 2-for-3 and had one RBI.

“It was a combination of us hitting the ball on a line, good situational hitting and (Dowling) not taking care of the baseball,” Balvanz said.

Ankeny reliever Jack Goodwin throws a pitch during the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader. He recorded the final five outs to earn the win. (Photo by Dan Holm)

In the first game, Vos went 2-for-4 and scored twice. He hit a two-run single during the eighth-inning outburst.

Samuel Sandvig went 3-for-4 and scored three times. Blake Morgan went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Evan Irlmeier knocked in two runs, including an RBI grounder that broke the 5-5 tie. Clevidence and Ha also drove in runs.

Jack Goodwin (1-0) earned the win in relief of Will Davies, who scattered nine hits and had six strikeouts over the first 6 1/3 innings. Goodwin got the final five outs without allowing a hit.

“I thought Davies and Gerstel both went out there and competed,” Balvanz said.

The Hawks will host a conference game on Thursday against No. 5 Waukee (15-6), which was swept at No. 2 Ankeny Centennial on Wednesday.