It’s been a tough week for the Ankeny baseball team.
It started on Monday with an injury to starting pitcher Will Davies during the first game of a doubleheader loss to Waukee Northwest, followed on Wednesday with a five-inning loss to Dowling Catholic, and then continued on Thursday with two more losses to visiting Ames in a non-conference twinbill.
“We’ve got some guys dinged up and sore right now,” said Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz. “It will be good to have Friday off to recover for our trip to Council Bluffs on Saturday.”
Ames posted an 8-4 victory in the first game, then completed the sweep with a 2-1 win. The Little Cyclones improved to 13-8 overall, while Ankeny’s record dropped to 5-14.
The Hawks got a strong pitching performance from sophomore Kyle Clevidence (0-1) in the nightcap. He allowed two earned runs on four hits and had four strikeouts.
“He was very efficient in his first start and did a nice job working ahead all evening,” Balvanz said. “And tip of the cap to the Ames starter (Erik) Anderson–he was tough out there tonight.”
Jackson Kepley hit a two-run double in the third inning to put Ames ahead. Anderson racked up eight strikeouts and took a shutout into the seventh before tiring.
Reliever Max Martin got the final three outs for the Little Cyclones.
“It was a good pitchers’ duel,” Balvanz said. “We had the bases loaded with a chance to win the ball game in the seventh. The guys played hard, but we just came up a hit short.”
Jackson Romig doubled and scored the Hawks’ lone run. Easton Lowe knocked him in.
In the opener, Ames built an 8-0 lead before Ankeny rallied for four runs in the seventh.
Samuel Sandvig doubled and had two RBIs for the Hawks, while Lennon Perrine also drove in a run. RJ St. Romain went 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run.
Travis Gerstel (0-1) took the loss. He allowed four earned runs on seven hits over the first 4 1/3 innings.
Ames’ Jameson Webber went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Daniel Murphy went 2-for-3 with a double and drove in two runs.
“The first game kind of got away from us,” Balvanz said. “I thought Gerstel battled in his first start of the year. We got something going late in the game. It was nice to see them keep battling.”
Ankeny will play Council Bluffs Lincoln (5-12) and third-ranked Sioux City East (16-3) on Saturday.