BASEBALL: Success at the plate gives Wolverines 2-1 week

A three-run fourth inning helped East Union find a cushion it needed for a 5-2 baseball win over Nodaway Valley/OM Friday at Greenfield.

The victory by the Eagles erased the home team’s chances for a three-win week last week after the Wolverines defeated Griswold on the road last Wednesday 7-2 and Central Decatur 20-1 at home one night later.

The Wolverines were 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the Pride of Iowa Conference entering this week. That put them in fourth place behind Martensdale-St. Marys in the lead; East Union, Lenox and Mount Ayr, who are tied for second and third-place Southeast Warren.

“It always feels good to break the ice. We started off with Creston, Mount Ayr and Red Oak. They’re all three quality teams who have had a pretty good start to the season,” Nodaway Valley/OM head coach Dan Jameson said.

At the plate against East Union, Keyin Steeve tripled and drove in a run while Paul Berg did the same. Titan Foster had the other hit for NV/OM. The Wolverines often made contact but frequently hit right into the hands of the Eagles. Will Shilling pitched five innings, allowing two earned runs with six hits, five walks and four strikeouts.

“I think we had six strikeouts, but it seemed like more. We hit several balls right at at them. I think the first at-bat of the game, Titan smoked a line drive right to the shortstop and he didn’t even have to move his glove hardly. Some of the other guys had some nice strokes too, they just didn’t find a hole,” Jameson said. “That’s the name of the game.”

The Wolverines managed 10 hits in the blowout of Central Decatur. Foster singled twice, tripled and drove in a couple of runs. Woosley and Trent Warner each had two hits while Woosley was RBI leader with three. NV/OM was patient at the plate, drawing 15 walks from the Cardinals — striking out only four times themselves. Senior Eli Harris got the win on the hill, firing a two-hitter, giving up one earned run with four walks and three strikeouts in four innings pitched.

Leading Griswold 1-0 after the first inning of that game, NV/OM tacked on three runs each in the fourth and sixth innings to beat the Tigers. The visitors managed six hits, led by two each from Berg and Woosley. Woosley had two RBIs, and on the mound in five innings, he allowed two hits, four walks and struck out five batters. Ty Strode came in to relieve in him later, as he would against East Union for Shilling.

A rescheduled road game from earlier in the season at Southwest Valley was supposed to be Monday, but a scheduling conflict where the Timberwolves couldn’t secure two umpires meant it now will be played July 3. That meant the Wolverines are left with a four-game week this week, playing at Wayne Tuesday, at Earlham Wednesday, hosting MStM Thursday and Southeast Warren Friday.

“We’ve got some guys who are starting to hit the ball better and get some timing down, and that helps out,” Jameson said. “We just need to stay positive, within ourselves and keep having good at-bats, getting good contact, hustling everything out and putting pressure on the defense.”