After dropping a 12-4 decision to Sioux City Heelan in the Brent Prange Classic on Saturday, the Ankeny baseball team rebounded with a 4-2 victory over Ankeny Christian Academy in a crosstown battle.
Jack Clevidence scored the tying run in the sixth inning and later drove in an insurance run for the Hawks, who improved to 13-19 on the season. He went 3-for-4 in the game and was named the team’s MVP.
“We just wanted to bounce back and finish the day on a good note,” said Clevidence.
The Eagles (13-6) took a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning despite getting just two hits off Ankeny starter Hunter Minner. The Hawks then rallied against ACA reliever Tyler Mahoney (3-1), who took over on the mound after Eli Christensen tossed five strong innings.
Christensen racked up six strikeouts and was named his team’s MVP.
“He’s a dog. He’s good,” Clevidence said of Christensen, who struck out the side in the second inning. “We battled against him and eventually ran him out of the game. Our coach always say, ‘Get to the bullpen and wreck it.’ We really did just that.”
Clevidence hit a one-out single in the sixth and advanced to second on a two-out infield hit by Henry Ha. He then raced home on a single by Karsten Bernholtz.
In the seventh, Brady Carter singled and was replaced by courtesy runner RJ St. Romain. St. Romain scored when Samuel Sandvig reached second on a two-out error, then Clevidence followed with an RBI single.
“We did a good job of getting to the bullpen,” said Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz. “I thought Christensen was sharp. He kept us off-balance with all the different pitches he was throwing. But we got through the lineup a couple of times and got to the bullpen.”
Travis Gerstel (5-1) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief. He allowed no hits and had two strikeouts.
“I was initially going to start Gerstel, but he pitched so well the other night at Johnston,” Balvanz said. “I saw a little bulldog in him, and I thought he deserved to start on Monday. We were only going to use him in a tight spot, and I thought that was good experience for Hunter. The plan worked out, and Gerstel came in and shut the door and that’s all you can ask for.”
Christensen, meanwhile, got the start against Ankeny for the second year in a row. Last season, he was roughed up for six runs in the first inning and the Hawks went on to post an 11-1 victory in five innings.
“Our game against them last year definitely didn’t go the way we wanted, so I think we were all excited to get another shot at them,” said Christensen. “Most of my pitches were pretty on today, but my command was definitely the best it’s been. I was hitting the corners consistently and didn’t walk anyone.”
Ankeny took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Evan Irlmeier singled and then came home on another single by Carson Riggs.
The Eagles answered with two runs in the fourth. Landon Nehring ignited the rally with a one-out single, the team’s first hit off Minner.
Nehring went to second on a walk to Landon Curtis, then came home on a single by Dylan Quick. A grounder by Daniel Schoening scored Curtis with the go-ahead run.
“I was very proud of the way we competed,” said first-year ACA coach Ryan Johnson, whose team had dropped a 13-0 decision at Saydel on Friday. “We talked about playing focused and loose, and that’s what it felt like we did. Eli and Tyler did a tremendous job for us on the mound, and our defense really showed up and made plays all over the diamond. We talk about giving God the glory no matter the outcome, win or lose…we play for Him. It was a really fun game and something that will get us ready for districts in a couple of weeks.”
Ankeny threatened to take the lead in the fifth inning, when the Hawks loaded the bases with two outs. But Christensen retired Kinnick Vos on a fly ball to right field to get out of the jam.
That was Christensen’s final pitch of the game.
“I know quite a few of their players,” Christensen said. “It was fun competing against them.”
Carter and Ha each went 2-for-3 for Ankeny. The Hawks finished with 10 hits.
“It’s just like (playing Ankeny) Centennial,” Clevidence said. “It’s fun. It’s awesome.”
Morgan and Bernholtz each went 2-for-3 and had an RBI in the loss to Heelan (22-8), the No. 5 team in Class 3A. Morgan, who had a double, was named the Hawks’ MVP.
Clevidence also had a double, while Vos went 2-for-3 and scored a pair of runs.
“Jack has been swinging it real well for us, and Blake has been hitting it on the button,” Balvanz said. “But I told the guys before the game we needed to be ready to score some runs. They score in bunches out there on the west side of the state, so I figured (Heelan) could swing it well. That’s a good looking team.”
Will Davies (1-4) took the loss. He allowed six earned runs on eight hits and had five strikeouts over five innings.
The Hawks will travel to Waukee Northwest (18-11) on Monday for a CIML Conference game. The eighth-ranked Wolves swept a doubleheader at Ankeny on June 3.
