Senior pitcher Eli Christensen led the Ankeny Christian Academy baseball team to an 18-9 record. He was named to the Class 1A all-state third team and to the Central all-district first team by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association.
Christensen posted a 7-3 record with a 1.60 ERA while limiting opposing batters to a .185 average. He led Class 1A and ranked fifth in the entire state with 112 strikeouts.
At the plate, Christensen batted a team-high .518 with two home runs, three triples, nine doubles and 14 RBIs. He also stole 20 bases in 22 attempts.
Here is some inside info on Christensen:
Congratulations on another outstanding season. Your team had some memorable wins, including a 4-0 victory over Coon Rapids-Bayard on May 14 when you tossed a five-hitter and recorded a career-high 18 strikeouts. Do you think that was the highlight of your season?
Thank you. Although the 18-strikeout game was very cool, I think the highlight of the season was the postseason run we made. I really thought we were playing our best baseball toward the end.
Your team advanced to a Class 1A substate final for the first time in school history before dropping a 1-0 decision to Lynnville-Sully in nine innings on July 16 at Pella. Have you thought about that game frequently over the last few weeks?
Yep, I’ve definitely thought about that game quite a bit.
You obviously pitched a great game, allowing just three hits while racking up 10 strikeouts. Do you feel like you and your teammates left it all out on the field?
I know it didn’t quite end the way we wanted it to, but we really gave it everything we had. None of us will ever forget that game.
Lynnville-Sully then went on to win the Class 1A championship in impressive fashion, allowing just one run total in the tournament. Did you watch any of the games, and were you surprised that top-ranked Akron-Westfield didn’t win the title?
I wasn’t surprised to see Lynnville-Sully end up winning the whole thing. I thought it was a pretty open field this year, and the way they were playing defensively I knew they’d be tough to stop.
Were you happy to see the Hawks capture the trophy? Does that make you wonder if your team could have made a similar run at the state tournament if you had been able to defeat Lynnville-Sully?
Yeah, I was happy to see them win, but I do know with the way we were playing at the time we could have made a run just like they did.
I know you played in the IHSBCA All Star Series on Aug. 1-3 in Pella. Did you enjoy that experience?
I really enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it, but I’m definitely glad I did. It was fun to be around such a great group of guys.
How did your team do?
We ended up going 2-1.
You are headed to DMACC (Boone) to play for the Bears, and I know you told me you were moving in on Sunday and the practices will start this week. Are you anxious to begin your college career?
A little anxious, but mostly excited. I’ve been looking forward to it for awhile.
Do you know very many of the current DMACC players or the incoming recruits?
I know a few other of the incoming recruits. Most of their players are from Iowa as well, which is nice.
Do you have a favorite MLB team?
Minnesota Twins.
