Cyclones sweep Creston, earn first two baseball wins
HARLAN (June 1) -- The Harlan Community baseball team won its first two games of the season Tuesday night at Jim Goeser Field, sweeping Creston in a Hawkeye Ten Conference doubleheader by scores of 10-6 and 8-0.
Six two-out runs in the fourth inning, followed by a three-spot in the fifth, allowed the Cyclones to take control of game one as Stephen Leinen earned the pitching win in relief and Joey Moser locked down the save.
Game two was all about sophomore hurler Teagon Kasperbauer, who pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout using just 65 pitches. Kasperbauer walked just one batter and struck out six.
HCHS improved its record to 2-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play with the sweep while Creston fell to 2-4 and 1-2, respectively.
The Cyclones were shut out by Lewis Central 4-0 on Wednesday night at Iowa Western Community College and played another H-10 game at Denison Thursday night.
HCHS 10, Creston 6
Trailing 2-1 in the fourth inning of game one Tuesday, the Cyclones broke loose on offense with six two-out runs. Quinn Koesters tied the score with an RBI bloop single and Moser followed with a two-run double, then stole third and raced home on a wild throw.
With the bases empty, Cade Sears got things going again with a single, stole second and scored on Isaiah Ahrenholtz’s base hit. Luke Musich then beat out a bunt single and a throwing error brought home Ahrenholtz to make it 7-2.
HCHS added three runs in the fifth, getting RBI singles from Moser, Sears and Ahrenholtz, who combined to go 7-for-10 with five runs scored and seven RBI from the top three spots in the lineup. Moser led the way with three hits and three RBI.
Ben Muenchrath added two more two-out bunt singles to his early-season ledger and later had a sacrifice bunt as well.
Creston would tighten things up in the sixth, scoring four runs on six hits off Leinen (1-0), who relieved Thomas Ernst in the third and promptly escaped a bases-loaded jam before holding the Panthers scoreless for two innings.
After Creston drew two walks to open the seventh inning, Moser relieved Ahrenholtz and needed just eight pitches to end the game with a double play and a strikeout.
HCHS 8, Creston 0
Kasperbauer helped save the pitching staff for the rest of the week with his three-hit shutout in the night cap, evening his personal record at 1-1.
HCHS once again used crooked numbers to take control, scoring three runs each in the third and fourth innings and adding a two-spot in the sixth.
Austin Schumacher led the hitting attack, going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Musich also doubled and had a sacrifice fly for two RBI. Sears, Leinen, Brehden Eggerss and Koesters all added a single, with Eggerss, Muenchrath and Koesters all scoring twice.