Council Bluffs, IA
Iowa Western Baseball (14-4, 0-0) swept past visiting Iowa Lakes to open its 2020 home season unblemished.
The Reivers cruised through the four-game series, outscoring the Lakers 34-4, including two shortened five-inning victories.
Connor Mackay (3-0) picked up the win in game one, allowing just four hits and an earned run in a seven-strikeout performance. His teammates plated 11 runs on 11 hits, including six doubles, one from Jevon Mason in a 3-for-3 performance. Mason drove in a team-high three runs, while Nick Juaire, Derek Shoen, and Colin Kasperbauer each picked up another pair. Mason and Shoen each scored twice in the 11-1, five-inning win.
Game two featured the closest game of the series. The Reivers staked themselves to a 4-0 lead behind Tanner Kohlhepp (3-0). The sophomore transfer allowed six hits in 4 2/3 innings before giving way to Nathan Berg, who wrapped up his first save of the season. Jaden Rolffs collected his fifth homer of the season, a solo shot in the fifth, while Spencer Parker and Kasperbauer each added a triple in the contest. Parker went 2 for 2 in the game and drove in a pair of Reivers, while Cooper Bowman swiped his fifth of the season in the 6-2 Reiver win.
Sunday was another beautiful day to start the month of March. A strong wind out of the South was the only blemish on an otherwise perfect day in the Bluffs. Braedyn McLaughlin (2-1) dominated for five innings before giving way to Alex Firsdon. McLaughlin, a sophomore bound for Wichita State, struck out 12 Laker batters and scattered a pair of hits and a walk in the outing. Juaire was 3 for 4 out of the No. 3 hole, including his first triple of the season. He and Bowman each plated a pair of runs for the Reivers and left the weekend holding the top two spots on the leaderboard in that category. Bowman stole three bases in the game - to bring his total on the season to eight - and put himself in position to score. He has come across 22 times on the year for IWCC, while Juaire also swiped a bag and has 17 runs scored for the Reivers. Brett Daley drove in a pair as Iowa Western won the Sunday opener 8-1.
The series finale featured the return of Jack Neely (2-0). The sophomore had been limited in the past couple of weekends and was ready to roll when he was given the green light, striking out 11 and walking one in a dominant no-hit performance. The Reivers collected three more triples in the game as they jumped ahead 3-0 in the third inning. Brady Prewitt made the most of his start behind the plate as he blasted a pitch in the fifth inning to deep left field for a grand slam. Couple that with his RBI double in the fourth, and the freshman finished 2-3 with five RBI in the game. The Reivers won the contest 10-0 after Cyler Melvin scored the game-ending run on a balk.
The Reivers will play three weekday doubleheaders this week. Originally scheduled to take place over the weekend and on St. Patrick's Day next week, the team will now play DMACC on Wednesday (3/11) and Ellsworth on Thursday and Friday (3/12-13) to avoid the upcoming forecasted weather. All games are scheduled to be live streamed here - https://goreivers.com/information/reiver-sports-network .
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