Linn-Mar Baseball

Gross wins initial Wall/Found award

Cole Gross of Linn-Mar High School has been named the winner of the first "Just Drew It/Live Like Line" award.

The award honors the memory of Drew Wall, the former Kennedy student-athlete who died from cancer last November, and Caroline Found, the former Iowa City West student-athlete who was killed in a moped accident in August of 2011.

The award honors their spirit, enthusiasm, dedication and sportsmanship. It will be presented to area athletes who "pursue victory with honor," according to Iowa City West counselor Paul Breitbach.

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No.7 Johnston walks by Lions, 2-0

DES MOINES - Something happens to Linn-Mar pitchers when they get to the Class 4A state baseball tournament at spacious Principal Park in Des Moines.

They have trouble throwing strikes.

It happened to Linn-Mar senior Justin Wyant Wednesday against No.7 Johnston, just like it happened to the Lions last year in the first round of the state tournament against Kennedy.

Wyant walked eight batters in four-plus innings Wednesday and uncorked a wild pitch as Linn-Mar lost to Johnston, 2-0, in the opening round on a warm, sunny day in Des Moines.

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Lions ride no-hitter into semifinals

Ben Hilsenbeck and Ryan Wyant combined on a no-hitter Monday as the Linn-Mar Lions blanked Washington, 2-0, in the opening round of the Metro Baseball Tournament at the Jefferson field.

Hilsenbeck struck out seven batters in five innings, then Wyant fanned three batters in the final two innings for the Lions. They combined to walk seven batters, but the Warriors were not able to get any hits.

Brandt Ollinger went 2-for-3 for Linn-Mar and drove in a run. Jackson Jacobs hit a solo home run for th other run.

Chris Harrington pitched a strong game for Washington, allowing only six hits and two runs. He struck out six batters and did not walk anyone.

Spencer VanScoyoc tossed a strong game for Jefferson as the J-Hawks defeated Marion, 5-1, in the other first-round game at Jefferson.

VanScoyoc allowed only four hits and one unearned run in six innings. He struck out nine batters and walked only one man. Jared Eivings pitched the seventh inning for Jefferson.

Marcus Colbert, Spencer Hunt and Lucas Larson belted home runs for the J-Hawks.

Jefferson and Linn-Mar were supposed to meet in the semifinals Monday, but their game was postponed by rain. They will meet at Veterans Memorial Stadium at 5 p.m. Tuesday, with the winner facing Kennedy in the finals at approximately 7 p.m.

There were supposed to be consolation games Tuesday, but there were no plans to play those games due to the new configuration.

GAME 1

WASHINGTON (0): Leonard, cf, 2 0 0 0, Herzog, ss, 2 0 0 0, Dobbs, 3b, 3 0 0 0, Loeffelholz, c, 2 0 0 0, Thorson, rf, 1 0 0 0, Nichols, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Harrington, p, 2 0 0 0, Akers, 1b, 3 0 0 0, Nimmers, lf, 2 0 0 0. Totals 19 0 0 0.

LINN-MAR (2): Larson, cf, 3 0 0 0, Jeffrey, lf, 3 0 1 0, Ollinger, c, 3 0 2 1, Jacobs, 1b, 3 1 1 1, Bradley, dh, 3 0 1 0, Gassmann, ss, 2 0 0 0, Schmidt, rf, 2 0 0 0, Mortensen, ph, 1 0 0 0, Stolley, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Yoke, 3b, 2 1 1 0. Totals 24 2 6 2.

Washington    000 000 0 - 0
Linn-Mar      010 010 x - 2

Harrington and Loeffelholz. Hilsenbeck, Wyant (6) and Ollinger. W - Hilsenbeck. L - Harrington. 2B - Ollinger, Bradley. HR - Jacobs. SB - Herzog, Leonard 3, Yoke.

GAME 2

JEFFERSON (5): Frazier, cf/rf, 3 1 1 0, VanScoyoc, p/cf, 3 0 0 0, Hunt, 3b/cf, 3 1 1 2, Colbert, dh, 3 1 1 2, Eivins, rf, 1 0 0 0, Neuberger, ph, 1 0 0 0, Larson, ss, 3 1 1 1, Koering, c, 3 0 0 0, Olutunde, lf, 3 0 0 0, Johnson, 2b, 2 1 1 0. Totals 25 5 5 5.

MARION (1): Fuller, 2b, 4 0 0 0, Kuhn, cf, 3 1 0 0, Ch.Stekl, ss, 3 0 2 0, Kray, 3b, 3 0 0 0, Ca.Stekl, c, 3 0 0 0, Carstenson, 1b, 3 0 1 1, Miller, lf, 2 0 1 0, Hardman, rf, 2 0 0 0, Vanderlind, rf, 1 0 0 0, Cannoy, p, 1 0 0 0, Miller, ph, 1 0 0 0, Carstensen, ph, 1 0 0 0. Totals 27 1 4 1.

Jefferson   103 100 0 - 5
Marion      000 001 0 - 1

VanScoyoc, Eivins (7) and Koering. Cannoy, Miller (5) and Stekl. W - VanScoyoc. L - Cannoy. 2B - Ch.Stekl, Carstenson. HR - Colbert, Hunt, Larson. SB - Frazier, Larson.

Lions seek 1st win at state tourney

The Linn-Mar Lions have reached the state baseball tournament in back-to-back years for the first time in school history.

Now they feel it's time for the next step.

"The next step is to go down and win a game at state," said Coach Chad Lechner. "We're going to have to play the same way we have been."

The Lions played in the state tournament in 1987, 1995, 2006 and 2012, but they lost in the first round each time for an 0-and-4 record.

Linn-Mar (27-15) hopes to take the next step against seventh-ranked Johnston (26-12) in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A state tournament Wednesday at noon at Principal Park in Des Moines.

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