Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Summer

‘It’s hard to win over there’: Hawks salvage split at No. 4 Johnston with 8-7 victory

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This year's edition of the Ankeny baseball team isn't the most talented squad that Joe Balvanz has coached during his tenure with the Hawks. But it might be one of the grittiest. Ankeny bounced back from a 15-11 loss at fourth-ranked Johnston on Monday with an 8-7 victory in the second game of a doubleheader. The Hawks snapped their three-game losing … [Read more...] about ‘It’s hard to win over there’: Hawks salvage split at No. 4 Johnston with 8-7 victory

Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Carson Riggs, Ankeny baseball

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Senior infielder Carson Riggs has helped the Ankeny baseball team to a 10-16 record. He is batting .290 with three doubles and 14 RBIs for the Hawks, who will travel to Johnston on Monday for a CIML Conference doubleheader against the fourth-ranked Dragons. Riggs is headed to Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville to play for the Lakers in the … [Read more...] about Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Carson Riggs, Ankeny baseball

Jaguars cruise to championship of Fort Dodge Invitational; Ankeny places 4th

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Mady Ott and the Ankeny Centennial softball team feel right at home at Harlan Rogers Park. Ott homered twice and drove in seven runs on Saturday as the fifth-ranked Jaguars cruised to the championship of the 16-team Fort Dodge Invitational. They rallied for an 11-5 victory over Class 3A No. 1 Williamsburg in the semifinals, then followed with an 8-2 … [Read more...] about Jaguars cruise to championship of Fort Dodge Invitational; Ankeny places 4th

Linn-Mar snaps Hawks’ winning streak, extends its own to 8 games with sweep

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One of the state's hottest baseball teams visited Ankeny on Friday for a non-conference doubleheader and swept the Hawks. Linn-Mar (Marion) posted a 12-2 victory in six innings in the opener, snapping Ankeny's three-game winning streak. The Lions then completed the sweep with an 8-4 win. Linn-Mar (16-6) has won its last eight games by a combined margin … [Read more...] about Linn-Mar snaps Hawks’ winning streak, extends its own to 8 games with sweep

Hawks edge Waukee as trio combines on 1-hitter, Irlmeier delivers 2-run single

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A slow start this season knocked the Ankeny baseball team out of CIML Conference title contention right away. But that doesn't mean the Hawks can't be a factor in the race. Three Ankeny pitchers combined on a one-hitter as the Hawks posted a 2-1 victory over visiting Waukee on Thursday. It was the third straight loss for the fifth-ranked Warriors, who … [Read more...] about Hawks edge Waukee as trio combines on 1-hitter, Irlmeier delivers 2-run single

Rusher, Lensmeyer combine to shut down Dowling Catholic in Hawkettes’ sweep

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Abby Rusher and Aubrey Lensmeyer combined to allow just three runs as the Ankeny softball team swept a doubleheader on Wednesday at Dowling Catholic. The seventh-ranked Hawkettes posted a 5-0 victory in the opener, then completed the sweep with a 9-3 triumph. They improved to 6-2 in the CIML Conference and 11-7 overall, while Dowling's records dropped to … [Read more...] about Rusher, Lensmeyer combine to shut down Dowling Catholic in Hawkettes’ sweep

‘They can play that way all the time’: Hawks erupt for 24 runs, sweep Dowling

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Wednesday's doubleheader at 10th-ranked Dowling Catholic might have been a turning point for the Ankeny baseball team. The Hawks used a seven-run eighth inning to post a 12-5 victory in the first game, then erupted for 11 runs in the first inning of the nightcap and went on to complete a sweep with a 12-2 win in five innings. "I hope it's a confidence … [Read more...] about ‘They can play that way all the time’: Hawks erupt for 24 runs, sweep Dowling

Hawks drop 3-2 decision at Valley despite quality start, 3 hits from Clevidence

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The Ankeny baseball team got a quality start from senior righthander Jack Clevidence, but it wasn't enough to produce a victory on Monday at Valley. After the Hawks took a 2-0 lead in the third inning, Valley answered with three runs in the fourth and then held on for a 3-2 win to snap a six-game losing streak. The Tigers improved to 2-7 in the CIML … [Read more...] about Hawks drop 3-2 decision at Valley despite quality start, 3 hits from Clevidence

Hawks erupt for season-high 16 runs in five-inning victory over Davenport West

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The Ankeny baseball team bounced back from a 7-5 loss to Davenport Central with a 16-1 victory over Davenport West in five innings on Saturday at Davenport. The Hawks are now 7-13 on the season after splitting the non-conference games. "I was glad to come back with a win, but I was certainly hoping for two," said Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz. Ankeny had … [Read more...] about Hawks erupt for season-high 16 runs in five-inning victory over Davenport West

‘It was a lot of innings!’: Lensmeyer carries heavy load as AHS finishes 3-1 at Creston

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Aubrey Lensmeyer and her Ankeny softball teammates have earned a little time off. The seventh-ranked Hawkettes played six games over the last three days, beginning with a doubleheader split at Urbandale on Thursday. They then went 3-1 in the John Stephens Classic this weekend, capped off by a pair of victories on Saturday. Lensmeyer, a junior, pitched … [Read more...] about ‘It was a lot of innings!’: Lensmeyer carries heavy load as AHS finishes 3-1 at Creston

Hawks rally from 10-0 deficit to beat Urbandale, snap 6-game losing streak

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Desperate for a win, the Ankeny baseball team refused to quit. Trailing 10-0 in the second game of a doubleheader on Thursday at Urbandale, the Hawks were three outs away from a run-rule loss that would have stretched their losing streak to seven games. Ankeny extended the contest by scoring three runs in the fifth inning and added five more in the … [Read more...] about Hawks rally from 10-0 deficit to beat Urbandale, snap 6-game losing streak

Rusher, Parton lead Hawkettes past Urbandale in first game of doubleheader

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The Ankeny softball team had to settle for a split on Thursday at Urbandale. After the seventh-ranked Hawkettes posted a 2-1 victory in the opener of a CIML Conference doubleheader, Urbandale bounced back with a 3-2 win in the nightcap. The J-Hawks ended a 10-game losing streak to Ankeny. "We're still stuck in that hitting rut a little bit," said … [Read more...] about Rusher, Parton lead Hawkettes past Urbandale in first game of doubleheader

‘Our team responded pretty well’: Jags overcome rain delay to edge Ankeny, 4-3

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The surging Ankeny Centennial baseball team continued its winning ways on Wednesday. The Jaguars' latest victory came at the expense of their crosstown rival. Sean Stewart and Colton Arndt combined on a seven-hitter as the fourth-ranked Jaguars posted a 4-3 win at Ankeny in a CIML Conference game that was briefly delayed by rain in the fourth … [Read more...] about ‘Our team responded pretty well’: Jags overcome rain delay to edge Ankeny, 4-3

Hawkettes outlast No. 3 Waukee NW in 10 innings before Wolves earn split

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After making an early mistake, Ankeny pitcher Abby Rusher buckled down on Monday night. Rusher gave up a leadoff homer to Sophia Schlader to start the game, then shut down third-ranked Waukee Northwest the rest of the way as the eighth-ranked Hawkettes posted a 2-1 victory in 10 innings in the opener of a CIML Conference softball doubleheader at … [Read more...] about Hawkettes outlast No. 3 Waukee NW in 10 innings before Wolves earn split

‘We’re just not scoring enough runs’: Hawks struggle at plate, fall twice to NW

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It's too early for the Ankeny baseball team to panic. The Hawks just need to get their bats going. Ankeny dropped both ends of a CIML Conference doubleheader against visiting Waukee Northwest on Monday. The ninth-ranked Wolves posted a 6-2 victory in the opener before completing the sweep with a 4-1 win. "I didn't think either of their starters was … [Read more...] about ‘We’re just not scoring enough runs’: Hawks struggle at plate, fall twice to NW

Irlmeier stays hot, but S.E. Polk uses 5-run 4th inning to post 6-4 win over Hawks

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The seventh-ranked Southeast Polk baseball team used a five-run fourth inning to erase a 3-1 deficit and went on to beat host Ankeny, 6-4, in a CIML Conference game on Friday. The Hawks lost despite another big night from junior outfielder Evan Irlmeier, who went 3-for-3 for the second straight game and drove in a pair of runs. After a slow start to the … [Read more...] about Irlmeier stays hot, but S.E. Polk uses 5-run 4th inning to post 6-4 win over Hawks

Two-time defending champs top Ankeny, extend their winning streak to 21 games

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The Ankeny baseball team allowed just six hits in a game against visiting Johnston on Thursday. But the top-ranked Dragons took advantage of six walks and six hit by pitches to post a 7-3 victory, extending their winning streak to 21 games dating back to last season. "We gave them 12 or 13 free bases, and that's an experienced lineup of juniors and … [Read more...] about Two-time defending champs top Ankeny, extend their winning streak to 21 games

Gerstel, Davies toss back-to-back shutouts in Hawks’ sweep at Ames

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A road trip to Ames resulted in back-to-back shutouts for the Ankeny baseball team on Wednesday. The Hawks posted a 12-0 victory in the opener, then completed a sweep of the non-conference doubleheader with a 9-0 win. They improved to 5-6 overall. "The boys played pretty well tonight," said Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz. "We turned like three or four double … [Read more...] about Gerstel, Davies toss back-to-back shutouts in Hawks’ sweep at Ames