Kennedy Baseball

No. 1 Cougars, Lions headed for early showdown

The Kennedy Cougars are ranked No. 1 and the Linn-Mar Lions look like they have the ingredients to make a run for the top as well this year.

They'll clash Tuesday in the semifinals of the Bob Vrbicek Metro Baseball Tournament at the Linn-Mar diamond at approximately 7 p.m.

Alex Hayden struck out 14 batters as the top-ranked Cougars blanked Washington, 4-0, in the opening game of the tournament Monday night to spoil Tony Lombardi's debut as the new head coach of the Warriors.

Linn-Mar scored 11 runs in the first inning against Jefferson and pounded the J-Hawks, 15-2, in five innings in the nightcap.

Kennedy was a little surprised to see itself in the No. 1 spot when the Class 4A preseason rankings were issued Sunday night.

"Honestly, I wasn't sure we were the No. 1 team on 42nd Street, because Xavier is really, really good," said Kennedy Coach Bret Hoyer. "And in the Metro, we have some fantastic teams.

"I think that's a compliment to the success we've had over the last few years. That's more of a tribute to the kids that graduated last year and some of the key people we have coming back."

The Cougars won the Class 4A state title in 2010 and reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament last season, finishing with a 31-9 record. Austin Christensen, the 2011 Gatorade Player of the Year for Kennedy, graduated and joined the baseball program at Nebraska. The Cougars also lost their double-play combination of Griffin Michael and
Terrell Sykes, so the No. 1 ranking came as somewhat of a surprise.

"That's nice that they ranked us that high," said Hoyer. "It certainly puts a target on our backs. And we certainly hope to be that good at the end of the year."

The Linn-Mar Lions will be aiming at that target Tuesday night in the semifinals. The Lions came out swinging and sent 15 batters to the plate in the first inning against Jefferson when they scored their 11 runs.

Michael Redmond collected a pair of doubles in the first inning and was 3-for-3 after two innings with four RBIs. Meanwhile, lefthander Jacob Stolley mowed down the J-Hawks with seven strikeouts in five innings.

"That's a great way to start off," said Stolley. "Like Coach Lechner said, it's the best first game he's ever seen."

The Lions hit line drives all over the ballpark in the first inning.

"It was great," said Redmond. "We were really excited going into this game. I was a little nervous, with first-game jitters or whatever. But we came out and we attacked early in the count and got our confidence up."

Hayden was nearly unhittable in the first game for Kennedy. He went 6 1/3 innings and allowed only two hits, an infield single by A.J. Puk and an opposite-field double by Noah Dostal that hugged the left-field line.

Hayden left after throwing 97 pitches. He struck out two batters in the first, second, third and sixth innings and fanned three batters in the fourth and fifth innings with an 87 mph fastball and sharp curveball.

"It felt good. I was hitting my spots pretty good, I thought," said Hayden, an all-state pitcher in 2011 who will play at Iowa Central Community College next year.

Hayden relied exclusively on his fastball against the first seven batters, then began mixing in the curveball with great success. "They weren't hitting the fastball," he said. "Then they started catching up to the fastball and fouling a couple off, so I starting throwing curveballs."

Hoyer liked what he saw of his top pitcher.

"We saw that at times last year," said Hoyer. "We just need him to be more consistent and follow that up next time and keep improving."

Kennedy collected only four hits against Washington southpaw Grant Dostal, who pitched a complete game for the Warriors. The Cougars also committed a couple of baserunning mistakes, but Hayden was too much for Washington.

Linn-Mar scored two runs in the second inning for an early 13-0 lead against Jefferson. The J-Hawks scored twice in the top of the third, but the Lions responded with two more runs in the bottom of the third for the 15-2 bulge.

Linn-Mar was not ranked in the preseason poll, but the Lions appear to have a strong club. "The possibilities are endless, I think," said Stolley. "The ultimate goal is go to state and win state."

The Lions could make an early statement against No. 1 Kennedy Tuesday night. "It will be fun," said Redmond. "We're just looking forward to everybody we play."

GAME 1

KENNEDY (4)
Logan Ambrosy, rf, 3 2 0 0, Cody Bell, 1b, 4 0 1 0, Zach Johnson, pr, 0 1 0 0, Devon Jacobus, ss/p, 2 0 1 1, Nick Appleget, ph, 1 0 1 0, Ryan Unash, pr, 0 0 0 0, Chico Lizarraga, c, 3 0 0 1, Brock Skow, 3b, 3 0 1 1, Adam Lloyd, lf, 2 0 0 0, Josh Jahlas, cf, 0 0 0 0, Alex Hayden, p, 3 0 0 0, Derek Jacobus, cr/ss, 0 1 0 0, Trenton Seubert, dh, 3 0 1 1, Joel Smetzer, 2b, 0 0 0 0, Andrew Johnson, cf/lf, 3 0 0 0. Totals 27 4 4 4.

WASHINGTON (0)
Noah Dostal, ss, 3 0 1 0, Matt Troendle, cf, 3 0 0 0, A.J. Puk, 1b, 3 0 1 0, Zach Gillis, dh, 3 0 0 0, Jacob Hand, lf, 0 0 0 0, Grant Dostal, p, 3 0 0 0, Will Rings, c, 2 0 0 0, Chris Harrington, cr, 0 0 0 0, Noah Burdt, rf, 1 0 0 0, Robert Hogg, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Zach Christensen, 3b, 2 0 0 0. Totals 22 0 2 0.

Kennedy      101 011 0 - 4 4 2
Washington  000 000 0 - 0 2 5

Hayden, Devon Jacobus (7) and Lizarraga. G. Dostal and Rings. W - Hayden. L - G. Dostal. 2B - N. Dostal. SB - Ambrosy, Derek Jacobus.

GAME 2

JEFFERSON (2)
Dylan Jellison, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Hunter Kloubec, ph, 1 0 0 0, Christian Knox, cf, 2 0 1 2, Sam Techau, 3b, 2 0 0 0, Austin Goodell, rf, 2 0 0 0, Ky Kramer, ss, 2 0 0 0, Jordan Dee, 1b, 2 0 0 0, Aaron Gruwell, lf, 2 1 1 0, Colten Jourdan, c, 1 0 0 0, Layne Sullivan, cr, 0 1 0 0, Chance Tiedtke, p, 0 0 0 0, Dylan Wright, p, 1 0 0 0, Ben Koering, p, 1 0 0 0. Totals 18 2
2 2.

LINN-MAR (15)
Travis Kvach, 2b, 1 3 1 3, Kevin Bogert, rf, 4 1 2 2, Michael Redmond, 3 2 3 4, Keaton Blackford, ph, 0 0 0 0, Mitchell Stickney, lf, 3 1 1 0, Nate Greve, ph, 1 0 1 0, Austin Stroschein, 3b, 1 2 1 1, Tyler Kane, ph, 1 0 0 0, Austin Banks, c, 3 0 0 0, Justin Wyant, cf, 0 1 0 0, Nick Jennings, ph, 1 0 0 0, Jimmy Roth, 1b, 0 3 0 0, Dakota Digmann, cr/ph, 0 1 0 0, Jacob Stolley, p, 2 0 1 1, Kyle Mortensen, ph, 1 0 0 0, Jack Strellner, ss, 1 1 0 2. Totals 22 15 10 13.

Jefferson        002 00 -  2   2 1
Linn-Mar     (11)22 0x - 15 10 1

Tiedtke, Wright (1), Koering (3) and Jourdan. Stolley and Banks. W - Stolley. L- Tiedtke. 2B - Knox, Kvach 1, Redmond 2.

Solid nucleus leads Cougars into 2012

Kennedy is coming off a Metro best 31-9 season in 2011 and another trip to the state tournament, as I predicted. They also have an excellent nucleus of players returning.

The Cougars have a returning pitching staff that boasts 22 varsity starts and a 17-3 record in those starts. They have a tough 1-2 punch in the middle of their lineup as well.

Seniors Cody Bell (.381, five homers, 41 RBIs) and Devon Jacobus (.377, 10 homers, 37 RBIs) will spearhead the offense. Blend in a sophomore team that won the sophomore conference championship as well as the Metro Tournament, and that gives us a pretty good indication of where Coach Bret Hoyer’s team will be located in the standings at the end of the 2012 season.

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Bell, Carlson, Hayden pick their colleges

Three premier athletes from Metro high schools have made their college commitments.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy senior Cody Bell has decided to play golf at the University of Northern Iowa, ending a tug-of-war for his own emotions between golf and baseball.

Cedar Rapids Prairie senior Brayton Carlson has committed to play baseball at Southeastern Community College in West Burlington and Kennedy senior Alex Hayden has committed to play baseball at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge.

Bell tied for sixth at the Class 4A state golf meet this year and placed fourth last year as a junior. He's also a top baseball player at Kennedy and had an offer to play baseball at Loras College.

Bell decided Wednesday to play golf at UNI. "I just feel that I'll be more successful playing golf in college as opposed to baseball," he said.

Bell is a year-round athlete at Kennedy with golf, basketball and baseball. He's looking forward to concentrating on golf at Northern Iowa.

"It will be something new," he said. "I'm hoping it really helps. I think with all the work I'm going to be able to put in and all the time, I think it will be a big step for my golf career."

Bell plans to study business and finance at UNI.

Carlson will be joining his older brother, Dustin, on the Southeastern Community College baseball team. Dustin Carlson is a freshman relief pitcher at SCC.

Brayton Carlson hit .429 with eight homers and 36 RBIs for Prairie last season. He made second team all-state as a second baseman.

Southeastern Community College Coach Justin Schulte, formerly the head coach at Mount Mercy University, has attracted several Metro baseball players to his program. Terrell Sykes (Kennedy), David Yancey (Kennedy), Colby Brecht (Xavier) and Alex Ries (Xavier) are freshmen at SCC this year.

"I know a lot of guys on the team and Coach Schulte seems like a really good coach," Carlson said.

Griffin Michael (Kennedy) and Anthony Gagliardi (Prairie) began the school year at Southeastern Community College but will not play for the Blackhawks. Gagliardi has transferred to Indian Hills Community College.

Hayden compiled an 8-1 record with a 3.22 ERA at Kennedy last season as a junior, helping the Cougars reach the Class 4A state tournament. He's also a middle infielder and will be given a chance to be a two-way player at Iowa Central.

"They said they're open to me playing the field," he said. "They're leaving that up to me, and I haven't decided yet what I'm going to do with that."

Bell, Carlson and Hayden all said they're glad to have made their college decisions. "A lot of stress is relieved now," said Hayden, who had offers from at least four other schools in Iowa.

Cougars stumped by Kenny and Fort Dodge, 2-1

DES MOINES - Griffin Michael leaned against a railing at Principal Park in Des Moines Wednesday night, a look of frustration and disbelief on his face.

"I just can't believe it's over," he said. "It's just a shock right now."

Kennedy's bid for immortality ended in the opening round of the Class 4A state baseball tournament, the victim of the extreme heat, humidity and a hot pitcher from Fort Dodge.

Will Kenny came within one out of pitching a no-hitter and the Dodgers trimmed the Cougars, 2-1, to end Kennedy's dream of winning back-to-back state titles.

Cedar Rapids Wilson, now a junior high school, is the only Metro school to win consecutive state titles with crowns in 1947 and 1948. Kennedy was trying to break the 63-year drought and become the second Metro team to pull it off, but Kenny was too tough.

The Fort Dodge senior walked six batters, but the Cougars were 0-for-22 before Austin Christensen singled with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to snap the no-hitter and put runners on first and third. Suddenly, the Cougars had life.

Michael hit a hot smash that got past the Fort Dodge second baseman for a base hit, driving in Terrell Sykes and making it 2-1 as Christensen took third. Kenny was tired and soaking wet, but was determined to finish the game.

"I wasn't going to come out," he said. "They got a hit, but I wasn't going to let them win."

Devon Jacobus, Kennedy's cleanup hitter who slugged 10 home runs this season, stepped into the batter's box, looking for a clutch hit, but Kenny got him to end the game on a soft fly ball to right field.

Kennedy's dream of back-to-back titles was over.

"It's just really tough," said Christensen, "but we just have to focus on all the good things we've done."

Christensen took the mound Wednesday as the winningest pitcher in school history, but he struggled in the steamy conditions and needed a water break at one point when Fort Dodge touched him for two runs in the third inning.

"I felt a little light-headed and I was weak through the whole night," he said. "But that's no excuse. I've still got to try and get the job done."

It was 94 degrees with a heat index of 105 at 7 p.m. in Des Moines. Christensen bent over near the mound at one point, his hands on his knees, prompting Coach Bret Hoyer to pay a visit. They both walked into foul territory, near the Kennedy dugout, and Christensen was given a minute for a drink.

The respite did not solve the problem. Kenny singled to left, making it 1-0, and Sam Edwards hit a sacrifice fly to right field, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 edge after three innings.

Christensen pitched one more inning before calling it a night and moving to right field. He threw 81 pitches in four innings, an unusually high number for the Kennedy ace in a brief period of time, and led to his early demise.

Mark Wilson and Will Gormally began the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back singles against Christensen on fastballs. He switched to off-speed pitches and wriggled out of trouble, but his 89 mph fastball from the 2010 state championship game was nowhere to be found.

"I could tell at the start I didn't have my normal stuff," Christensen said. "It was just like the last couple of games. I threw a lot of hittable fastballs."

The Cougars had their chances. Kenny walked six batters and Fort Dodge made three errors, but the Cougars - who hit a lusty .387 as a team this year - could not break the spell.

"He's a stud," said Christensen. "We faced him earlier this year and we struggled then, too. A lefty, he throws hard, he has a sharp curveball. He was tough to hit."

Kennedy had runners on first and second with nobody out in the sixth inning, thanks to a pair of walks, putting the potential tying runs on base. David Yancey, the No.5 hitter in the lineup, had a chance to make something happen.

Hoyer thought about telling Yancey to bunt, but Yancey hit .364 this season with eight homers and Hoyer let him swing. "He's turned around a lot of fastballs in his career," the coach said.

Yancey swung at the first pitch and hit a grounder up the middle, but he didn't hit it hard enough. Fort Dodge shortstop Wilson ambled over, grabbed the bouncer, stepped on second and threw to first for the double-play.

Yancey expected Hoyer to let him swing in that situation.

"I was pretty sure he would expect me to hit the ball to the outfield," Yancey remarked. "We would have scored two runs if I would have done that."

Yancey pitched two scoreless in relief, keeping the score 2-0 and giving the Cougars a chance to mount a rally. They did, but it was too little and too late.

The Cougars shook hands with the Fort Dodge players, accepted their award for making the state tournament and then trudged toward their locker room, unhappy and a little stunned.

"I just can't believe it's over," said Michael. "We really thought we were going to go deep in the state tournament this year. We knew Fort Dodge was a tough team and we had to play well, but it's just a shock right now. We really thought we would go farther then we did."

The sixth-ranked Cougars retired for the season with a 31-9 record.

"They're hurting, big-time," said Hoyer. "They've been part of a tremendous tradition. I'm proud of them."

Christensen (8-1) suffered his only loss of the season, putting his career record at 29-7. He graduates as the winningest pitcher and most prolific hitter in school history.

Fort Dodge (30-12) advanced to the Class 4A semifinals Friday night.

KENNEDY (2)
Sykes, 2b, 4 1 0 0, Christensen, p/rf, 3 0 1 0, Maiers, cr/ph, 1 0 0 0, Michael, ss, 3 0 1 1, Jacobus, 3b, 3 0 0 0, Hayden, pr, 0 0 0 0, Yancey, lf/p, 3 0 0 0, Bell, 1b, 2 0 0 0, Seubert, pr, 0 0 0 0, Ambrosy, rf/lf, 2 0 0 0, Jahlas, cf, 2 0 0 0, Taylor, ph, 0 0 0 0, Benson, dh, 1 0 0 0, Lizarraga, c, 0 0 0 0. Totals 24 1 2 1.

FORT DODGE (2)
Wilson, ss, 3 0 2 0, Gormally, cf, 2 1 1 0, Arends, 3b, 3 1 1 0, Alstott, rf, 3 0 1 0, Kenny, p, 3 0 1 0, Halligan, cr, 0 0 0 0, Edwards, 1b, 2 0 0 1, Lombard, dh, 2 0 0 0, Peters, ph, 0 0 0 0, Jones, pr, 0 0 0 0, VanderMaten, 2b, 1 0 0 0, Jarrard, lf, 2 0 0 0, Porter, ph, 1 0 0 0, Harms, c, 0 0 0 0. Totals 22 2 6 2.

Kennedy      000 000 1 - 1 2 0
Fort Dodge   002 000 x - 2 6 3

Christensen, Yancey (5) and Lizarraga. Kenny and Harms. W - Kenny (6-4). L - Christensen (8-1). SB - Michael, Wilson.