The Ankeny baseball team appears to be peaking just in time for postseason play.
The Hawks moved ahead of Dowling Catholic in the CIML Conference standings by sweeping a doubleheader against the visiting Maroons on Monday. They posted an 11-6 victory in the opener, then completed the sweep with a 15-6 win.
“We played a good doubleheader tonight,” said Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz. “We had double digit hits and runs in both games, we got some good pitching, we played pretty good defense, and we ran the bases well.”
After winning a pair of games in the Brent Prange Classic on Saturday to end a 10-game losing skid, Ankeny has now reeled off four straight victories. The Hawks improved to 4-14 in the league and 10-23 overall, while Dowling’s records fell to 3-15 and 7-21 with its seventh consecutive loss.
“It feels great,” said Ankeny senior Easton Lowe, who went 5-for-7 on the night and homered in both games. “They’re a good team, but after the weekend we were pretty confident. (Ryan) Buffington pitched great on the mound (in the second game), and the offense showed up in a big way. The approaches were great, not trying to do too much with the wind blowing out.”
Lowe went 3-for-4 with a home run, a triple and two RBIs in the first game, when the Hawks built a 9-1 lead in the first two innings.
“I just got ahold of one,” Lowe said. “My swing after my injury was kind of off the past couple of weeks, but I came back today feeling really good. Right when I hit it, I knew it was gone. I had kind of an excessive celebration, but credit to the team. Everyone else stepped up, and it was a great team win.”
Ace Parton went 3-for-4, scored three runs and drove in two more. Quin Somers also had two RBIs, while Drake Allison and Jack Romig each tripled and knocked in a run.
Logan Wildebour (2-4) earned the win on the mound. He allowed four earned runs on six hits over the first five innings.
The game was delayed for about 30 minutes in the top of the third inning after Wildebour collided with home plate umpire Rex Engstrand while chasing a pop fly in foul territory. Engstrand suffered multiple injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
“I’ve known Rex for a long time, and that was hard to see,” Balvanz said. “It was just one of those weird plays. It was nobody’s fault; it was just two kids playing hard and an umpire trying to get out of the way. Rex was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Wildebour, meanwhile, stayed in the game and gave Ankeny’s depleted bullpen a break. He threw 87 pitches before Jackson Molloy came in to toss the final two innings.
Jevon Pyle had a two-run homer for the Maroons.
“Logan went five innings, and that’s what we needed from him. He was up to the task,” Balvanz said. “He banged his knee up a little bit in the collision, but he toughed it out.”
In the second game, Buffington (1-3) gave up three runs in the first inning, but then dominated the rest of the way in a 111-pitch outing. He allowed four earned runs on seven hits over the first 5 1/3 innings, racking up 12 strikeouts to match his total from his previous start against Ankeny Centennial.
“My fastball was working the best,” said Buffington. “We called it a lot, and they really couldn’t do a lot with it so we just stuck with it. I’m just looking to throw strikes. I’ve had problems throwing (too many) balls, so I’m just trying to get ahead in counts and it really works.”
Buffington allowed three walks and hit a pair of batters before being replaced by Kyle Clevidence. Gavin Nuzum then came in to get the final three outs.
“He’s really focused on pounding the zone and the way his ball moves when he pitches, and he throws pretty hard, it’s pretty hard to face him,” Lowe said of Buffington. “He’s doing a great job.”
Balvanz has also been impressed by Buffington’s emergence.
“He just continues to get better and better,” Balvanz said. “I think he’s starting to gain that confidence. He’s going to Indian Hills (in the fall) for a reason.”
Buffington also helped his own cause with a two-run single during Ankeny’s seven-run outburst in the fifth that extended the lead to 13-4. He went 2-for-4 as the Hawks pounded out 17 hits.
Ryan Wille went 2-for-3 with a triple, a home run and four RBIs. It was his second homer of the season.
Lowe went 2-for-3 with a homer and drove in two runs. He now leads the team with three homers.
“Easton had another phenomenal night,” Balvanz said.
Parton went 2-for-3 and knocked in two runs. Romig went 3-for-5 and had one RBI, while Max Wade went 3-for-4 with a double.
The two teams will play another game on Tuesday at Dowling to complete the season series.
“I’m not concerned about our record,” Balvanz said. “I’m just concerned that we’re playing our best baseball of the season as we head toward July, and hopefully we’re doing that. These guys have done everything that I have asked them to do.”
