The Le Mars Community baseball team got a potential taste of what their tournament opener will look like taking down Sioux Center on the road by a score of 10-2.
Knowing that the Warriors and Bulldogs would meet in a week and a half to start the tournament certainly made the regular season matchup a little more interesting. Le Mars head coach Trent Eckstaine says the goal of the contest was to send a message that the tournament trail will be tough for the opponent.
The Bulldogs scattered one run in the third and fifth inning and were tied at two runs apiece when they got going with three runs in the sixth and another five in the seventh. While this was going on, Carter Baumgartner was throwing gas striking out 11 Warriors while allowing just three hits and two runs. Coach Eckstaine says this outing was a huge bright spot after how his last two starts ended.
As the tournament starts coming up, it is important that the Bulldogs have their pitching staff firing on all cylinders so any of them are ready when their number is called. Coach Eckstaine says he has confidence in his guys that they will be ready to go, and this performance Baumgartner helped to solidify that feeling.
The Bulldogs have one more conference doubleheader and two non-conference matchups before taking on Sioux Center again in the substate quarterfinal on Friday, July 12. At this point in the season, sometimes comradery and teamwork are a more important thing than some of the x’s and o’s of the game. Coach Eckstaine says guys are gelling together at the right time leading into postseason play.
Le Mars’ matchups with Lewis Central on Wednesday, July 10 at 2:00 PM and their substate quarterfinal with Sioux Center on Friday, July 12 at 7:00 PM are both scheduled to air on KLEM Radio.
