KANSAS
One blemish on an otherwise perfect weekend for Reiver Baseball started the 2020 season off right in the Sunflower State. 'Team 46' swept a pair of double-headers and split another on their season-opening road trip to return to Council Bluffs at 5-1.
Day one in Garden City saw the fourth-ranked Reivers take the home squad 14-5 and 7-1. IWCC compiled 21 hits between the two games as returning shortstop Cooper Bowman went 3-6 with a pair of walks and drove in four, while newcomer Nick Juaire collected five hits and scored four runs. Alex Firsdon and Jared Simpson did their part on the mound to earn the win in each game, Reiver pitchers compiled 22 strikeouts in their 14 innings of work on the season's first day.
Sunday saw the first complete game for the Reivers' staff. Sophomore Tanner Kohlhepp went the distance in a five-inning, 10-run defeat of the Broncbusters. Kohlhepp struck out eight and walked a pair in a three-hit outing, while Jaden Rolffs drove in a pair of runs in a 3-3 performance and Jevon Mason also picked up a pair of hits while driving in two from the cleanup spot. Game two of the day two sent Zachary Miller to the mound. One of four redshirts expected to help solidify the Reivers pitching this season, Miller threw a solid 4.2 innings before giving way to Caleb Riedel. The only blemish on Miller's line was a sac fly in the bottom of the third for GCCC. The one run proved to be the difference, as Garden City's Blake Mackintosh and Damian Acosta combined for a 4-hit shutout of the Reivers. Bowman collected two of the Reivers hits from the leadoff spot, but the rest of the lineup was shut down after a torrid start in the first three games.
The final day of the trip took the Reivers to Liberal and the home of the Seward County Saints. Quick starts allowed IWCC to control both games with the home team as the Reivers struck for four runs early in game one and seven in the first inning of game two. Bowman and Juaire continued to rake in the early going, going 4-8 in game one, while Juaire collected four more hits in game two of the double-header. For his efforts in the first four games of the season, Juaire was named ICCAC player of the week and his hot start Monday should have him in contention for the award next week as well. In the opener, the team was also aided by a pair of RBI from Colin Kasperbauer and strong pitching debuts from Jack Neely and Evan O'Toole. The pair combined to give up just one hit over seven innings of work in the 6-1 win. The Reivers struck early in and often in game two, setting up the chance for multiple pitchers to see action in a 14-3, six-inning win. Starter Braedyn McLaughlin pitched two strong innings before giving way to a quartet of relievers. Ryne Schooley, Jake Leger, Caleb Riedel, and Will Stevens closed it out for the Reiver sophomore who earned his first win of the 2020 season. Sam Riola started at shortstop and put together a 3-5 day from atop the lineup. Six different Reivers had multiple RBI, including Riola (2), Mason (3), Rolffs (2) and Juaire (2). Benjamin Palmer and Tyler Ward also drove in a pair from the bottom half of the lineup.
IWCC is scheduled to play six more games this weekend, travelling south to Miami, Oklahoma and Neosho, Missouri. Weather forecasts may bring those games to Council Bluffs, which would open the Reivers home season two weeks earlier than expected. Follow schedule changes and more on Twitter (@ReiverBaseball / @GoReivers) and the schedule tab on this site as well at https://goreivers.com/sports/bsb/2019-20/schedule
