Weekend preps: Big Reds close out Chariton to open postseason

Jul. 5—CENTERVILLE — No matter the record, the Centerville baseball team has been a tough team to beat in the month of July.

Hoping to make a magical run to the program's fifth state tournament appearance in the past six years, the Big Reds jumped out to an early lead and never looked back advancing to the Class 2A, District 13 semifinals with a 4-2 win on Saturday night over South Central Conference rival Chariton at Pat Daugherty Field.

Brody Tuttle got the postseason started in a big way, driving in two runs with a first-inning double to the fence in left field. Elijah Hampton added Centerville's third double of the opening inning, driving in Tuttle to give the Big Reds a 3-0 lead.

Tuttle, making the start on the mound for Centerville, bounced back after giving up a pair of runs in the second inning answering first at the plate by doubling to right with two outs in the bottom of the third before coming home on an RBI single by Conner Lancaster before shutting down the Chargers the rest of the way pitching a five-hit complete-game for the Big Reds.

"We talk all the time about getting on those one-game winning streaks," Centerville head baseball coach Ryan Hodges said. "There is no tomorrow at this point. You have to focus on getting that one win you need to advance, then flip the script and focus on the next game once you earn it."

Centerville (9-18) will next head to Bloomfield on Tuesday to face SCC co-champion Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont. Action in the Class 2A district semifinals gets underway at the Mustang Sports Complex in Bloomfield starting at 5 p.m.

Van Buren County 16, West Burlington 4

ELDON — Jackson Manning led reached base in all six trips to the plate for the Warriors, going 5-5 with two runs driven in and three runs scored in an impressive postseason-opening win over a Southeast Iowa Superconference south division rival on Saturday.

Manning earned the win on the mound, allowing just three hits and two unearned runs over four innings while striking out four batters. Bailey Roen and Lucas Fett added three hits, driving in two runs apiece while each player scored a pair of runs for the Warriors.

Van Buren County (11-15) heads to Mediapolis on Tuesday for the Class 2A, District 11 semifinals.

Moravia 18, Seymour 0

MORAVIA — After opening the postseason by scoring runs in the very first inning, Moravia brought the curtain down on their Class 1A district first round contest down before sunset pushing 14 runs across home plate in the second inning.

Matthew Seals led Moravia by driving in four runs, going 3-4 at the plate for the Mohawks with a double and three runs scored. Gage Hanes added three hits, including his own double, while scoring three times and driving in three runs.

Wyatt Throckmorton needed just 39 pitches to secure a one-hit, complete-game shutout. Throckmorton struck out nine batters over four innings while going 2-3 at the plate, driving in two runs and scoring three times.

Moravia (19-6) will host Southeast Warren on Tuesday in the Class 1A, District 12 semifinals.

Sigourney 21, Moulton-Udell 0

SIGOURNEY — Cade Molyneux capped a fantastic postseason opener for the Savages, hammering a three-run homer in the bottom of the third to close out a three-hit night as Sigourney put up eight runs in both the first and third innings against the winless Eagles.

Molyneux matched senior teammate Cade Streigle with three hits and five runs driven in. Molyneux scored twice while Streigle pitched a one-hit shutout over four innings, striking out 10 M-U batters while walking two.

Cameron Swarts collected the final hit of the season for the Eagles with a one-out double in the opening inning. Cole McKay drove in five runs for the Savages while scoring three times on just one hit.

Sigourney (18-5) hosts Wayne in the other Class 1A, District 12 semifinal. Moulton-Udell ends the season with an 0-20 record.

Pekin 3, Lone Tree 2

PEKIN — Jackson Horras pitched out of danger in the fourth and fifth innings, allowing just two runs despite bases-loaded opportunities for the Lions as the Panthers advanced in a thrilling postseason battle of Southeast Iowa Superconference south division rivals.

Chase Stansberry homered off the top of the fence in the very first inning, giving Pekin an early lead. Colton Comstock drove in Cade Parmenter with the go-ahead run in the fifth before putting the game away in the seventh, stranding the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base to save the win for Horras who struck out 12 batters in 6 2/3 innings.

Pekin (10-12) heads to third-ranked New London (25-1) in the Class 1A, District 11 semifinals. The winner faces either Keota (17-5) or Burlington-Notre Dame (14-10) in Saturday's district 11 championship game.