TCT sports round-up: Ballard baseball team tops Ames, Spartan softball team has 7-0 week

The Collins-Maxwell softball team turned in a 7-0 week to improve to 20-2 overall and 13-0 in the Iowa Star Conference South Division.

The Spartans defeated rival Baxter by a 12-0 score June 20, won a 5-0 non-conference game over Des Moines Christian June 21 and crushed Janesville (13-0), GMG (11-0) and Dunkerton (14-0) last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday respectively. On Saturday the Spartans won the Collins Day Tournament in Collins with victories over Central Decatur (2-0) and Pella (4-2).

The Ballard baseball team saw its nine-game winning streak come to a close Friday with losses to Johnston (12-0) and Urbandale (12-1) at the Prange Classic in Johnston.

The Bombers swept Boone by scores of 10-4 and 7-5 June 20 at Nite Hawk Field in Slater, scored a 7-5 win at Ames June 21 and edged Adel-Desoto-Minburn in an 8-7 battle June 23 at Adel. The Bombers pushed their overall record to 14-9 and they went to 9-2 in the Raccoon River Conference.

The Ballard softball team swept Boone by scores of 13-3 and 10 June 20. The Bombers fell to Van Meter (2-0) June 21 and No. 1 (4A) ADM 2-1 June 23 in going to 7-4 in the RRC.

Ballard went 1-2 at the Ankeny Invitational Friday. The Bombers defeated Estherville-Lincoln Central by an 11-1 score and lost to Ankeny (9-4) and Davis County (7-6) in falling to 12-15.

The Collins-Maxwell baseball team earned victories over Baxter (14-8), Pleasantville (7-5), GMG (14-4) and Dunkerton (14-2) during the week to push their record to 12-8 overall and 8-4 in the ISC South. The Spartans also suffered a 7-5 loss to Janesville during the week.

Houge sisters power Spartan softball team

The Collins-Maxwell softball team made it through its grueling week unscathed thanks in large part to Erica and Alexis Houge.

Erica threw a perfect game with nine strikeouts in three innings during the win over Janesville. She also threw shutouts against Des Moines Christian, Janesville, GMG, Dunkerton and Central Decatur and held Pella to one earned run on six hits in four innings.

Erica combined for 69 strikeouts over the seven games. She also homered and drove in three runs against Des Moines Christian, giving her six home runs on the season to break the school mark of five set by her older sister Mikayla.

Alexis was 12-for-16 at the plate with two doubles, one home run, 14 runs and six RBIs over the Spartans' seven games. She also came up with 14 steals in 15 attempts.

Alexis was hitting .714 with 44 runs and 43 steals on the season at the end of the week.

Marissa Boege homered against Dunkerton and Avery Fricke was 7-for-16 with eight runs, five RBIs and two steals during the week.

Bryce Haessig, Jaden Peasley lead Ballard sweep of Boone

Bryce Haessig and Jaden Peasley each turned in solid outings on the mound for the Ballard baseball team in the doubleheader sweep of Boone.

Haessig gave up three earned runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts and one walk going the distance in the 10-4 victory. Miles Mudd doubled twice and drove in two runs, Eli Rouse was 2-for-3 with two runs and Peasley finished 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI for Ballard at the plate.

In the 7-5 victory Peasley gave up two earned runs on six hits with nine strikeouts in six innings to get the victory. Rouse and Mudd both knocked in two runs and Jaren Njos was 2-for-4 with one run and RBI apiece.

Mudd got the win against Ames after giving up two earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and walks apiece in four innings. Haessig was 2-for-4 with one run and RBI apiece and Peasley, Njos, Haessig, Jacob Ross, Jakson Fleischmann and Cole Heinen each picked up an RBI. 

In the victory over ADM Colby Calvert was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs, Njos 2-for-3 with one run and RBI apiece and Fleischmann 2-for-4 with one run and an RBI. Rouse and Haessig each doubled and drove in a run.

Rouse got the win against ADM after allowing five earned runs on eight hits and four walks with eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

Ballard only had one hit in the loss to Johnston. Owen Greco had a pinch-hit single and Fleischmann was the losing pitcher after giving up five earned runs on four hits and walks apiece with four strikeouts in three innings.

Ross allowed five earned runs on three hits and five walks with four strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings as the losing pitcher against Urbandale. He also doubled and drove in Peasley, who went 2-for-3 with a double, for the lone Bomber run.

Jade Lande, Maggie McCrady power Bomber softball team past Boone

Lande and McCrady were huge for the Ballard softball team in its sweep over Boone.

During the 13-3 victory Lande was 3-for-4 with a double and five RBIs and McCrady homered and also drove in five runs. Ellie Volkmann was 3-for-4 with four runs and Maggie Mortensen 3-for-4 with three runs.

Brooklyn Baumgardner got the win on the mound after allowing three earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts. 

Lande also drove in five runs during the 10-0 victory over the Toreadors. She finished the game 2-for-3 with a home run.

McCrady tossed a four-hit shutout with three strikeouts in five innings as the winning pitcher.  Ella Husak was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs and Volkmann 2-for-2 with two runs and RBIs apiece.

Baumgardner threw a six-hitter and gave up two unearned runs with eight strikeouts and one walk in the loss to Van Meter. Mortensen went 3-for-4 and Husak 2-for-4 offensively and McCrady added a double and Baumgardner and Lande one single apiece.

Statistics were not available for the ADM game or the three Ankeny tournament games at press deadline.

Spartan baseball team keeps clicking at the plate

The Collins-Maxwell baseball team continued its hot stretch on offense by reaching 14 runs three times during the week.

In the victory over Baxter the Spartans scored eight unanswered runs in the seventh inning to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. Caleb Dvorak was 4-for-5 with a double and four RBIs, Cooper Wierson 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, Blake Huntrods 3-for-4 with three runs and Weston Kahler also scored three times.

Luke Huntrods gave up two runs with four strikeouts and two walks in two innings as the winning pitcher.

Austin Kepple was 3-for-4 and Jace Huntrods and Dvorak both 3-for-5 in the victory over GMG. Kepple added a double and two runs and RBIs apiece, Jace Huntrods two runs and three RBIs and Dvorak one run and two RBIs.

Luke Huntrods was 2-for-4 with three runs and RBI and Josef Dvorak doubled twice, scored two runs and picked up an RBI. Kepple got the win after surrendering three earned runs on five hits with three walks and strikeouts apiece in 4 2/3 innings.

Kahler was 4-for-4 with a double, triple and three runs and RBIs apiece in the victory over Dunkerton. Caden Hasbrouck went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs and Caleb Dvorak doubled, scored twice and drove in three runs.

Luke and Jace Huntrods added two hits apiece and they combined for four runs. Hasbrouck picked up the win after giving up two earned runs with three strikeouts in four innings.

In the win over Pleasantville Jace Huntrods was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Cooper Wierson 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Josef Dvorak was 2-for-3 with a double and three runs and Jace Huntrods was the winning pitcher after allowing four runs with three strikeouts in five innings.

In the loss to Janesville Caleb Dvorak was 4-for-4 with three doubles and one run and RBI apiece. Kahler took the loss after giving up five earned runs with three strikeouts and two walks in four innings.