Raiders ride big sixth to blowout win over East Union

AFTON — Mount Ayr’s 4-2 lead in the fifth inning in Thursday’s game with Pride of Iowa foe East Union, left the hosts in a spot where it could strike in an early-season matchup.

However, the Eagles left runners on the bases, and Mount Ayr took advantage of East Union mistakes to blow the hometown team away late in the 19-2 game.

“We had runners on base all night,” East Union coach Dave Campbell said. “We just couldn’t get a couple hits here or there or we would have had a lot more runs.

Mount Ayr’s Isaac Grose struck out in the fifth inning with two runners on with the Raiders leading 4-2, but the ball got away from catcher Brayden Martinez, who then overthrew first baseman Matt McGuire, allowing Hunter Haveman and Zach Murphy to score for the Raiders. McGuire’s throw from right field sailed over Trevor Jones’ head at third base, and Grose finished his mad dash around the bases to make it a 7-2 game.

“When you’re in a great battle, when a couple of your upperclassmen make a mistake, it’s hard to get them to come back to ‘Hey, we’re still in a ball game,’” Campbell said. “And you just try your best to get them to realize you still have a chance.”

Things got worse for the Eagles in the sixth.

Mount Ayr put up 12 runs as East Union was forced to go away from starting pitcher Joshua Hardy at the end of the fifth.

East Union used four pitchers in the sixth, as strikes were hard to come by for the inexperienced pitchers. East Union also made three more errors in the sixth and seven total in the game.

“The sixth inning just got a little crazy. They ran out of pitching,” Mount Ayr coach Chris Elwood said. “That final score of 19-2 was not as indicative of how close the game was for the majority of the game.”

Murphy reached base each of his five times up at the plate, which included two singles and a ground rule double.

“Zach had three hits the first game. He had at least three hits tonight. He’s hitting the ball really well,” Elwood said.

Murphy scored four runs, while Haveman and Grose each scored three times. Brayden Swank, Tristan Holmes and Kole Paxson each scored twice.

Hardy took the loss, surrendering seven runs and striking out four in five innings of work.

Holmes picked up the win on the mound for the Raiders, going five inning of work and striking out eight.

“There were quite a few tough situations that he pitched himself out of,” Elwood said. “Last year as a sophomore I think that would have bothered him a little more. I can tell he’s more assured on the mound. He got out of some tough situations because it was a very competitive ballgame.”

In particular, Holmes worked out of a bases loaded situation in the second inning by striking out Mason Gossman looking.

Gossman had two hits in three plate appearances.

Kole Paxson finished the game in the sixth.

Mount Ayr is utilizing a young lineup this baseball season, just like it has across all of its sports this last calender school year.

“We have four freshman, but some people start four freshman out of necessity,” Elwood said. “We’re not starting four freshman out of necessity, we’re starting four freshman because they’re ready to play varsity baseball. We have 30 kids out for baseball. They’re ready to play.”

Coming off a 16-run scoring effort against Orient-Macksburg, Campbell has seen his Eagles come a long way with their hitting since last season.

“Early in the season I am happy with how we’re hitting, we just need to get that timely hit when we got the kids on base,” Campbell said. “I think it’ll come. In the four or five years I’ve been doing the head coaching job, this is the best we have started a season hitting.”

UP NEXT — Mount Ayr (2-0, 1-0) travels to Pleasantville for a 7:30 p.m. contest today (Friday). East Union is back at it at home today (Friday) against Martensdale-St. Marys.