Eli Christensen and Tyler Mahoney combined on a three-hitter to lead the Ankeny Christian Academy baseball team past Panorama, 4-1, in a Class 1A district quarterfinal on Saturday at Northview Park in Urbandale.
The Eagles (16-8) used a three-run fifth inning to erase Panorama’s early 1-0 lead. They then added an insurance run in the sixth.
“I was happy with the way the guys played,” said ACA coach Ryan Johnson. “We started slow offensively but stayed with it and finally broke through in the fifth when Daniel Schoening got us on the board with an RBI single.”
Dylan Quick went 2-for-3, scored a run and drove in another for the Eagles. Lucas Erickson also had an RBI.
Mahoney (4-2) tossed three shutout innings of relief to earn the win. He allowed just one hit, walked one and had one strikeout.
Christensen also pitched well to keep Ankeny Christian in the game. He allowed one earned run on two hits and had seven strikeouts over the first four innings.
“Eli and Tyler did a great job on the mound pounding the strike zone, and our defense showed up again,” said Johnson, whose team committed just one error. “It really was a great team win.”
Panorama starter Hunter Dishman cruised through the first four innings before running into trouble. He allowed three earned runs on four hits over the first five innings.
Christensen and Mahoney had the Eagles’ other hits. The Panthers finished the season at 10-16.
Ankeny Christian will host Madrid (13-16) in the district semifinal on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Northview Park. The Tigers advanced with a 14-1 win over Baxter.
