Ankeny baseball coach Joe Balvanz likes to play a challenging schedule to prepare his team for postseason play.
Visiting Pleasant Valley provided a huge test for the Hawks on Wednesday.
The Spartans swept the non-conference doubleheader by scores of 5-0 and 10-3. They raised their record to 4-0 after sweeping Rock Island, Ill., on Tuesday.
“We are not in the same class as Pleasant Valley right now,” said Balvanz, whose team was opening its season after Monday’s game against North Polk was suspended due to lightning. “That’s a pretty solid ball club.”
Pleasant Valley won the first game behind Lincoln Dalton, who needed just 91 pitches to toss a two-hit shutout. The New Mexico State recruit walked one and had nine strikeouts.
“I have seen him over the last three years, and he just continues to impress me,” Balvanz said of Dalton. “If you need to go win a ball game, he’d be one of the top guys in the state to go win it. He’s just so efficient and pounds the strike zone. Fortunately, that’s probably the last time we’ll have to see him.”
Evan Barr drove in two runs for the Spartans. Hunter Minner took the loss for Ankeny, allowing two runs over the first 2 2/3 innings.
“Hunter is on a bit of a pitch count,” Balvanz said.
The Hawks also lost senior infielder Austin Hans to a broken hand. He suffered the injury while making a diving catch.
Both Minner and Logan Wildebour, who started the second game on the mound, were consistently behind the Pleasant Valley hitters. Minner needed 62 pitches to get eight outs, then Wildebour needed 76 to throw the first 2 2/3 innings as well.
“That allowed (Pleasant Valley) to get into some hitters’ counts,” Balvanz said. “We just need to do a better job of getting to two strikes earlier in the count.”
Barr had two more RBIs in the nightcap, going 2-for-4 with a double. Hayden Richards knocked in four runs for the Spartans.
The Hawks had just three hits off a trio of Pleasant Valley pitchers. Easton Lowe had two of them.
“We’re going to have to figure it out offensively,” Balvanz said. “This is a young and inexperienced lineup, and I’m asking some of the guys to learn on the job.”
Ankeny will complete the game against North Polk on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The contest will resume with the Comets leading, 6-1, in the fifth inning.
