Joe Balvanz

Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz often reminds his players that baseball is a unique sport. "I tell the guys all the time, 'This is the only game where you can't run out the clock. You can't dribble it out. You can't kneel on it. If you have outs left, you have a puncher's chance,'" Balvanz said. That proved to be the case in the Brent Prange Classic on … [Read more...] about Hawks rally for walk-off win over No. 2 C.R. Prairie, then top N. Scott at Prange Classic

The Ankeny baseball players felt right at home as the visiting squad on Tuesday. Playing on their home field, the Hawks scored in each of the first five innings and went on to defeat Urbandale, 7-2, in a CIML Conference game. The contest was supposed to be played at Urbandale on Monday, but was postponed due to rain. The J-Hawks then agreed to play at … [Read more...] about ‘Visiting’ Hawks top Urbandale in make-up game on their home field, face Jags next

Ankeny baseball coach Joe Balvanz continues to see signs of improvement from his team. "The defense looked great, and the pitching is coming around," said Balvanz. "We just have to find a way to be more productive consistently on offense. That can be tough against some of these teams in the CIML." The Hawks dropped a 5-2 decision on Thursday at … [Read more...] about ‘We just didn’t have enough offense’: Hawks drop 5-2 decision at No. 7 Waukee

Despite not giving up a run, Valley lefthander Dane Gosselink needed 87 pitches to get through five innings in Monday's baseball game against visiting Ankeny. Due to the pitch count limit, the junior likely would have only been able to throw one more inning at that pace. Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz was hoping that his team could get into the Tigers' … [Read more...] about ‘I wish we could’ve finished it’: Hawks fall at No. 10 Valley in rain-shortened game

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 … [Read more...] about ‘We’ve got some guys dinged up’: Hawks drop 2 to Ames as tough week continues

A fast start ignited the visiting Dowling Catholic baseball team to a 13-1 victory at Ankeny in five innings on Wednesday. The Maroons took a 4-0 lead in the first inning and then scored four more runs in the second. They tacked on another run in the third, three in the fourth and one more in the fifth. "We gave up five walks, two (hit by pitches), and … [Read more...] about ‘Things just kind of snowballed on us’: Hawks tumble to Dowling in 5 innings

Last Thursday, the Ankeny baseball team rallied for six runs in the seventh inning to earn an improbable 12-8 victory at Southeast Polk in the second game of a doubleheader. On Monday, the Hawks experienced the other side of a dramatic rally. Visiting Waukee Northwest scored four runs in the seventh inning to forge a 6-6 tie, then plated four more in … [Read more...] about ‘Our inexperience hurt us’: Wolves use late rally to complete sweep over Ankeny

The Ankeny baseball team was on the verge of being swept on the road Thursday at Southeast Polk. After dropping an 8-0 decision in the first game of a doubleheader, the Hawks fell behind in the nightcap, 7-2, after four innings. But Ankeny refused to go away quietly. A four-run fifth inning cut Southeast Polk's lead to 7-6. After the Rams got a run … [Read more...] about Hawks rally for 6 runs in 7th inning to salvage split of twinbill at S.E. Polk

The Ankeny baseball team extended its winning streak to four games on Wednesday before visiting Urbandale posted a 7-5 victory in the second game to salvage a split of a doubleheader. The Hawks had won the opener, 3-2, in walk-off fashion. They are now 2-4 in the CIML Conference and 4-8 overall, while Urbandale's records are 1-4 and 6-5. "Game 1 was a … [Read more...] about Hawks win opener of doubleheader against Urbandale in walk-off fashion

The Ankeny baseball team earned its first wins of the season on Friday by sweeping a non-conference doubleheader against visiting Bondurant-Farrar. One big inning proved to be the difference in both games. The Hawks used a five-run third to post a 7-2 victory in the opener, then had a five-run fourth in the nightcap en route to a 9-6 triumph. "The boys … [Read more...] about Hawks use pair of 5-run innings to sweep doubleheader against Bondurant-Farrar

The Ankeny baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader against visiting Waukee on Thursday. The fourth-ranked Warriors posted a 6-3 victory in the first game, then completed the sweep with a 15-1 win in five innings. They improved to 3-0 in the CIML Conference and 9-0 overall, while Ankeny's records dropped to 0-3 and 0-7. Waukee has outscored … [Read more...] about Struggling Hawks drop both games of doubleheader against No. 4 Waukee

The Ankeny baseball team took a big step forward on Wednesday. The Hawks opened CIML Conference play with a 3-1 loss to visiting Johnston, the No. 2 team in Class 4A. The Dragons (5-1) scored the go-ahead runs in the sixth inning. "It was a very well-played high school baseball game," said Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz, whose team dropped to 0-5 on the … [Read more...] about No. 2 Dragons edge Davies, Ankeny to win pitchers’ duel in CIML Conference opener

The slow start has continued for the Ankeny baseball team. After dropping both games of a doubleheader against fifth-ranked Pleasant Valley on Thursday, the Hawks traveled to Cedar Rapids on Saturday to face two more ranked opponents. Ankeny dropped an 8-1 decision to Iowa City High, the No. 1 team in the preseason rankings. The Hawks then fell to 0-4 … [Read more...] about ‘We’ve played some good teams’: City High, C.R. Kennedy extend Hawks’ skid

(Story by Stephen McDaniel) The 2025 baseball season hasn’t gotten off to the most ideal start for the Ankeny Hawks. After having two different delays earlier in the week, the Hawks officially opened the year with an 0-2 record after falling 13-0 and 5-0 in a doubleheader against visiting Pleasant Valley on Thursday. The Spartans are No. 5 in the Class … [Read more...] about ‘Tip of the cap to Pleasant Valley’: No. 5 Spartans sweep doubleheader at Ankeny

There is no shortage of experience on this year's Ankeny baseball team. The Hawks return five players who started at least 10 games a year ago, including junior Will Davies, who made 11 of his 32 starts on the mound. Two other pitchers who combined for 15 starts are also back. "The practices have been tremendously competitive," said Ankeny coach Joe … [Read more...] about ‘This team has a chance to be really good’: Hawks enter 2025 with high expectations

Sioux City's East Jax Theeler homered on the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning and the Black Raiders went on to beat visiting Ankeny, 8-1, in a Class 4A substate baseball semifinal on Monday. Sioux City East (26-13) advanced to Wednesday's substate final at second-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes (34-3). The Hawks finished the season at … [Read more...] about ‘It just wasn’t our night’: Hawks close out season with 8-1 loss at Sioux City East