Le Mars baseball earned a big sweep in MRAC play last night taking down Sergeant Bluff-Luton in game one 5-4 and in game two 12-0 in five innings.
In game 1, the Bulldogs got their offense going in the bottom of the second inning by plating four runs on five hits. Le Mars got two RBIs from Caleb Dreckman and an RBI from Donovan Daggett and Brady Williams. The Bulldogs allowed a run to come in in the top of the third on a throwing error but answered it right away with a sacrifice fly from Teagan Kasel to make it a 5-1 ballgame. Sergeant Bluff-Luton picked things up again in the top half of the fifth inning with two runs coming following some more field errors. The Warriors trailed 5-3 entering the top of the seventh where they were only able to score one and end the game with a final of 5-4. Braiden Hurd picked up the win for the Bulldogs to improve his pitching record to 3-0 going 6.1 innings, giving up six hits, three runs (one earned), and striking out 10. Donovan Daggett recorded the final two outs to pick up the save giving up one unearned run and striking out a batter.
The Bulldogs kept the offensive power going into game two. Le Mars scored two runs in the bottom of the second on another two-run base hit by Caleb Dreckman.
Le Mars pitcher Brady Williams pitched a gem allowing two hits and no runs in his five innings of work. One of the better defensive plays came from Braiden Hurd to end the top of the fourth inning on foul pop up towards the SB-L dugout.
That defensive play must have sparked the Bulldog bats as they came out in the bottom of the fourth inning with 10 runs on 11 hits sending 15 hitters to the plate. That increased the Bulldog lead to 12-0 and Brady Williams finished the job in the top of the fifth to shutout SBL 12-0.
Head Coach Trent Eckstaine says that the big innings his team had last night are a result of making good contact and finally seeing some hits drop.
The ten-run fourth for Le Mars was something that Coach Eckstaine has not seen on the baseball diamond in a while.
The ten run inning was highlighted by everyone contributing at the plate for the Bulldogs. Coach Eckstaine says that was a huge pick-me-up for some of his players.
The Bulldogs sit at 9-5 and 9-3 in the MRAC which puts them in second in the standings where they will take on first-place Sioux City East on Tuesday at East High. Coach Eckstaine knows the defense will have to play really well to have a chance against the Black Raiders.
That doubleheader with East High is Tuesday in Sioux City and it starts at 5:30 PM. KLEM will carry that doubleheader on our airwaves.
