The Johnston baseball team just finds a way to win.
The two-time defending Class 4A state champions scored five runs in the fifth inning to break a 3-3 tie and went on to beat visiting Ankeny Centennial, 8-5, in a showdown for first place in the CIML Conference on Monday.
The fifth-ranked Dragons got just two hits off Centennial ace Joey Oakie, but were able to get him out of the game in the fifth inning. Oakie was replaced by Elijah Starr with one out and a runner on first after throwing 84 pitches on a sweltering night.
Johnston then put together its big rally, which included a three-run homer by Mason Tell. It was the second home run of the season for the sophomore, who has had only 17 at-bats.
No. 4 Centennial rallied for two runs in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough. Oakie (3-2) took the loss, allowing four runs–three of them earned–over the first 4 1/3 innings.
Oakie walked four batters and hit two others before another throng of MLB scouts. He finished with four strikeouts.
Johnston improved to 14-5 in the league and 24-5 overall while avenging an earlier doubleheader sweep. The Jaguars’ records dropped to 11-5 and 21-7.
Oakie, who had tossed a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts in a 5-2 victory over the Dragons on June 3, ran into some trouble right away.
Blake Lundholm was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the first inning, and Will Nuss drew a one-out walk. After Lundholm raced home on an error, Max Mincks hit a single to drive in Nuss.
Centennial got a run back in the second inning. Reed Anderson hit a one-out single and advanced to third on a ground-rule double by Emerson Alberhasky, then Leyton Kolln followed with an RBI single.
Johnston scored a run in the third without getting a hit before the Jaguars tied it up at 3-3 in the fourth. Anderson and Alberhasky again ignited the rally–this time with back-to-back singles.
After Kolln was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Isaac Bruhl and Preston Glatt both drew walks to force in a pair of runs. Johnston starter Rafe McConnell avoided further damage, though, by retiring Jackson Reed on a fly ball to end the inning.
Sam Kemmer earned the win for the Dragons with 2 1/3 innings of relief. Cole Kinman got the final two outs to close out the game.
Johnston’s Adam Kayko went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and a run scored. Kemmer had two RBIs.
Glatt went 3-for-3 and scored a run for the Jaguars. Anderson went 3-for-4 and drove in a run in the seventh inning, while Alberhasky went 2-for-3 with a walk.
Will Morris had an RBI for Centennial, which lost despite outhitting the Dragons by an 11-7 margin.
The Jaguars will host a conference twinbill against Ankeny (13-20) on Wednesday.
