Kennedy Baseball

Greve does double-duty as Lions split with Cougars

Nate Greve has been a starting pitcher during his baseball career and he's been a relief pitcher during his career, but he'd never done both in the same game.

Until Saturday.

Greve helped the Linn-Mar Lions split with No.5 Kennedy on a rainy, sloppy day at the Linn-Mar field by doing double-duty on the mound in the nightcap.

The Cougars battered the Lions, 13-2, with a 15-hit attack in the first game, and Greve had the assignment of trying to quiet the Kennedy bats in Game 2.

He succeeded, he failed and he ultimately succeeded again as Linn-Mar captured the wild nightcap, 15-13.

Greve, a lefthanded sophomore, started the second game and had a no-hitter after three innings, but he walked three batters in the fourth inning and the Cougars plated five runs, ending his day on the mound. Or so it appeared.

"I told him at that time, I might bring you back to close the game," Linn-Mar Coach Chad Lechner related. "I need you to be mentally tough and ready to go. Stay loose."

Linn-Mar scored nine runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 9-5 lead, thanks to seven hits and five Kennedy errors, making Greve the pitcher of record on the winning side.

Greve sat and watched for two innings, and it didn't look like he'd be needed again when the Lions took a 15-8 lead into the top of the seventh. But Kennedy began the top of the seventh with four straight hits, making it 15-10 with nobody out, and Lechner signalled for his young southpaw again.

Greve went back to the mound, working as a relief pitcher in the game he started. "First time in my career," he said.

He surrendered a two-run double to Austin Christensen, the Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year, making it 15-12 with one out. Then he surrendered an RBI single to David Yancey, making it 15-13 with two outs and bringing the tying run to the plate.

Cody Bell could have tied the game for Kennedy with a two-run homer, but Greve got Bell on a grounder to second base to end the battle in a steady rain.

Greve did not qualify for a save, since he re-entered the game with a five-run lead and two runners on base, but he came close. If he had re-entered with a five-run lead and three runners on base, he could have gotten the win and the save in the same game, since the tying run would have been in the on-deck circle when he re-entered.

Pitchers cannot create their own save situations, so he didn't get a save even though he got the final out in a two-run game.

Greve pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief Friday night in the second game of a doubleheader at Dubuque Wahlert, so he pitched three times in less than 24 hours for the Lions - once against Wahlert and twice against Kennedy in the same game.

"My arm is feeling great so far," he said. "I've been in no pain this year."

The Lions played four games in less than 24 hours, counting the twinbill at Wahlert that started at 4 p.m. Friday and the makeup doubleheader against Kennedy that began at 11 a.m. Saturday.

It was a busy 24 hours, but a profitable one for the Lions as they finished the stretch at 13-10 overall and 8-8 in the Mississippi Valley Conference. They split with Wahlert, which is ranked No.3 in Class 3A, and split with Kennedy, which is ranked No.5 in Class 4A.

"Really good wins," said Lechner. "I probably couldn't ask for a whole lot more than splitting with those two teams. Two quality teams. We feel good about it."

Kennedy cruised in the first game Saturday behind Alex Hayden, who pitched five innings and allowed two runs (one earned). He struck out six batters and allowed four hits.

Griffin Michael and David Yancey hit back-to-back homers for the Cougars (21-5, 14-2) in the first inning of the opener.

Austin Christensen went 4-for-8 in the twinbill for Kennedy with a single, two doubles, a home run and four RBIs. He's hitting .600 this season (45 for 75) with 13 homers and 37 RBIs in 26 games.

Devon Jacobus went 4-for-6 for Kennedy with a double, home run, four runs, three RBIs and two walks. Yancey was 4-for-8 with two doubles, a homer, three RBIs and three runs.

Ben Larison went 4-for-6 for Linn-Mar with two doubles.

Linn-Mar batted around in the fourth and fifth innings in the second game, scoring 14 runs in those two frames on 11 hits, six Kennedy errors, three walks and a hit batter.

Game 1

KENNEDY (13)
Sykes, 2b, 3 2 1 0, Taylor, ph, 1 0 1 0, Christensen, rf, 3 1 1 0, Jahlas, ph, 1 0 1 2, Michael, ss, 4 3 2 2, Rhoades, ph, 1 0 0 0, Yancey, lf, 4 2 2 2, Unash, ph, 1 0 0 0, Bell, 1b, 4 0 1 0, Lloyd, pr, 0 1 0 0, Maiers, c, 2 1 1 1, Rhoades, cr, 0 1 0 0, Lizarraga, c, 0 0 0 0, Jacobus, 3b, 4 1 2 2, Ambrosy, cf, 4 0 1 1, Benson, dh, 4 1 2 1, Hayden, p, 0 0 0 0, Z. Johnson, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 36 13 15 11.

LINN-MAR (2)
Hunter, lf, 2 1 0 0, Bohr, ph, 1 0 0 0, Larison, ss, 3 1 2 0, Sturenfeldt, ph, 1 0 0 0, Redmond, cf, 3 0 0 1, Stickney, dh, 1 0 0 0, Bogert, rf, 0 0 0 0, Danover, c, 2 0 1 1, Kvach, cr, 0 0 0 0, A.Stroschein, 3b, 3 0 0 0, Blackford, 1b, 3 0 0 0, Prokop, 2b, 3 0 1 0, Stolley, p, 2 0 0 0, N.Johnson, p, 1 0 0 0. Totals 25 2 4 2.

Kennedy   520 022 2 - 13 15 1
Linn-Mar    101 000 0 - 2 4 4

Hayden, Z. Johnson (6) and Maiers, Lizarraga (6). Stolley, N. Johnson (6) and Danover. W - Hayden. L - Stolley. 2B - Christensen, Jahlas, Michael, Yancey, Jacobus, Larison 2. HR - Michael, Yancey. SB - Christensen, Michael, Maiers.

Game 2

KENNEDY (13)
Sykes, 2b, 5 1 1 2, Christensen, rf/1b, 5 2 3 4, Michael, ss, 4 0 0 0, Yancey, lf, 4 1 2 1, Bell, 1b/p, 4 1 0 0, Maiers, c, 3 1 1 0, Rhoades, cr, 0 1 0 0, Jacobus, 3b, 2 3 2 3, Jahlas, cf, 2 1 2 1, Benson, dh/p/rf, 1 1 0 0, Lloyd, p, 0 0 0 0, Ambrosy, p, 1 1 1 1. Totals 31 13 12 12.

LINN-MAR (15)
Hunter, lf, 2 3 1 1, Larison, ss/p, 3 1 2 1, Redmond, cf, 4 1 2 3, Bogert, rf, 4 1 1 1, Danover, c, 4 0 2 1, Sturenfeldt, cf, 0 1 0 0, Kvach, 2b, 4 2 1 1, Blackford, 1b, 4 2 2 0, Stickney, dh, 1 2 0 0, A.Stroschein, 3b, 0 0 0 0, Greve, p, 2 1 1 1, Prokop, 3b, 2 1 1 2. Totals 30 15 13 11.

Kennedy    000 521 5 - 13 12 6
Linn-Mar     000 951 x - 15 13 1

Lloyd, Taylor (4), Benson (4), Bell (5), Ambrosy (6) and Maiers. Greve, Larison (6), Greve (7) and Danover. W - Greve. L - Lloyd. 2B - Christensen, Yancey, Maiers, Ambrosy, Hunter. HR - Christensen, Jacobus. SB - Michael, Yancey, Maiers, Hunter, Kvach, Prokop.

No.5 Cougars trim Warriors for 9th win in row

Kennedy Coach Bret Hoyer had his baseball team practice the dogpile it would use to celebrate a Class 4A substate title a few years ago, just to make sure nobody got hurt and to implant a positive attitude in his players before a big game.

The man is a perfectionist, so it was no surprise he was not entirely happy with his ballclub Friday after its Mississippi Valley Conference game at Washington.

Kennedy rallied for a 4-2 victory, but the Cougars had two straight runners picked off first base and committed other sins during a two-game series with the Warriors Thursday and Friday.

So no, Hoyer was not happy.

"No, not at all," he said while supervising outfield laps after the game. "The kids know it."

Kennedy has won nine straight games, is ranked No.5 in the state and leads the MVC Mississippi Division by one game, but Hoyer is looking toward the postseason, where small mistakes could cost the Cougars a chance to defend their Class 4A state title.

Small mistakes nearly cost Kennedy (20-4, 13-1) a chance to beat the undermanned and spirited Warriors, who have only 12 players in uniform but keep battling. Hoyer wants to correct those problems now.

"The good news is, now they see why," he said. "We're lucky it didn't cost us the game. Maybe if it would have cost us the game, it would have been a blessing in disguise, because then it would have really hammered home how important it is to follow through on the things they're supposed to be doing."

The Cougars had communication problems on defense during Thursday's 11-3 victory over Washington, then were embarrased when two straight runners were caught napping Friday.

"You can get away with not paying attention to little things and details in USSSA ball at 12U, 13U, 14U and freshman ball, and sophomore ball to a large extent you can, but at this level teams are too well-coached," Hoyer said. "You have to pay attention to the little things and details."

The game ended in controversy in the bottom of the seventh with Washington trying to mount a rally from its 4-2 deficit. The Warriors had runners at first and third with one out when Sam Kacena hit a ground ball into the hole at shortstop, resulting in a force play at second base for the second out.

There was no time for Kennedy to try for a double play, so Kennedy second baseman Terrell Sykes held the ball as the Washington runner seemingly scored from third to make it 4-3. However, the field umpire ruled that Washington's Noah Dostal was guilty of interference for sliding beyond second base and hitting Sykes in the right leg, knocking Sykes to the ground.

As a result of the obstruction call, Kacena was ruled out at first base for a continuous double play. That ended the game and negated the run from third base.

Washington Coach Brent Henry disputed the call and argued with the field umpire, to no avail.

"That's a tough call," Henry said. "He (the umpire) felt that our runner got a late slide beyond the bag, and he read that as an interference call, so it's an automatic out for the trail runner as well.

"It's an especially tough call to make in that situation ... one-run game, conference game, the kids have been battling all day. It's a tough way to end the ballgame."

Sykes was spiked on the right leg, but was not seriously injured.

Both starting pitchers turned in strong games. Nick Appleget pitched six innings for Kennedy and allowed two runs (one earned) with four hits, six strikeouts and one walk. Grant Dostal went 5 1/3 innings for Washington and allowed four runs (one earned) on six hits.

Dostal, a lefthander, picked two Cougars off base in the fourth inning to escape a potential jam.

Kennedy scored three runs in the sixth inning with only one hit to take its 4-2 lead. Washington committed two straight errors to begin the frame and a walk loaded the bases.

Colin Taylor pinch-hit for the Cougars and hit a sacrifice fly, tying the game 2-2. Austin Benson gave Kennedy a 3-2 lead with a single and Sykes made it 4-2 with a suicide squeeze.

Washington made it exciting in the bottom of the seventh with runners at the corners, Kacena at the plate and cleanup hitter A.J. Puk waiting in the on-deck circle with one out, but Puk never got to bat.

Devon Jacobus had two doubles for Kennedy. Jordy Brown stole two bases and scored two runs for Washington (8-14, 3-11).

The Cougars play a makeup doubleheader at Linn-Mar Saturday at 11 a.m., with Hoyer hoping his team pays closer attention to detail.

"You hate to see a team that's got this kind of ability and this type of potential stub their toe along the way, because of something pretty fundamental," he said.

KENNEDY (4)
Sykes, 2b, 3 0 0 1, Christensen, dh/rf, 3 0 1 0, Appleget, p, 0 0 0 0, Michael, ss, 4 0 1 0, Yancey, lf/p, 3 1 0 0, Lloyd, lf, 0 0 0 0, Bell, 1b, 4 0 1 1, Jahlas, pr, 0 1 0 0, Maiers, c, 2 1 0 0, Jacobus, 3b, 3 0 2 0, Johnson, pr, 0 1 0 0, Ambrosy, rf/lf, 2 0 1 0, Taylor, ph, 0 0 0 1, Benson, cf, 3 0 1 1. Totals 27 4 7 4.

WASHINGTON (2)
Brown, lf, 3 2 1 0, N. Dostal, 3b/ss, 4 0 2 1, Kacena, c, 4 0 0 0, Hogg, cr, 0 0 0 0, Puk, 1b, 2 0 1 0, White, ss/p, 2 0 1 1, Rhatigan, rf/3b, 3 0 0 0, Zingula, 2b, 3 0 0 0, G. Dostal, p/rf, 3 0 0 0, Troendle, cf, 3 0 1 0. Totals 27 2 6 2.

Kennedy        000 103 0 - 4 7 2
Washington   101 000 0 - 2 6 2

Appleget, Yancey (7) and Maiers. G. Dostal, White (6) and Kacena. W - Appleget. L - G. Dostal. S - Yancey. 2B - Jacobus 2. SB - Yancey, Brown 2.

No.5 Cougars solve Puk, collect 11-3 victory

A.J. Puk looked like an all-state pitcher for three innings against Cedar Rapids Kennedy Thursday night.

He struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced with a rising fastball and sharp curve, leaving the fifth-ranked Cougars swinging at air.

Sykes, Christensen, Yancey, Bell, Jacobus, Ambrosy and Benson all went down swinging in the first three innings as Puk fanned some good hitters in the Kennedy lineup.

The 6-foot-4 lefthander appeared in complete control for Cedar Rapids Washington. It was nine up, nine down.

"He's very smooth," said Kennedy senior Austin Christensen, who was strikeout victim No.2. "His fastball might not be the fastest, but it really gets on top of you. A lot of our guys were a little late on the fastball tonight. It jumps out of his hand."

Puk had it, then lost it.

Kennedy raked Puk for seven runs in the fourth inning and posted an 11-3 victory over the Warriors in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Kennedy.

Puk was extra-special for three innings.

"He came out ready to play and he showed why he's one of the best pitchers in the state, especially considering he's only a sophomore," Washington Coach Brent Henry said. "He's going to be fun to watch for a couple of more years."

Puk walked Terrell Sykes to start the fourth. Then came the deluge. Christensen ripped a double, Griffin Michael singled to drive in two runs, David Yancey roped an RBI double, Cody Bell socked an RBI double, Matt Maiers reached on an error and Devon Jacobus crushed a three-run homer to right-center.

That gave Kennedy (19-4, 12-1) a 7-1 lead.

"I left a couple of pitches over the plate and they put the ball in play and things happened for them," Puk said.

The game began as a battle of quality lefthanders with Puk facing Christensen. The Warriors (8-13, 3-10) scored a run against the Kennedy ace in the third inning for a 1-0 lead, but they had a runner picked off second base with two outs to end the threat with runners at second and third.

Kennedy Coach Bret Hoyer, plagued by two rainouts this week, lifted Christensen after three innings and gave the ball to Michael, wanting to give both pitchers a workout. The Warriors got two hits against Michael in the fourth, but lost another runner on the bases to cost them a possible run.

Washington took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning, but it could have been 2-0 or 3-0 if not for the baserunning mistakes. Kennedy seized control with its seven-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth, starting with the pivotal leadoff walk to Sykes.

"If we clean things up on the basepaths and we have a three-nothing game instead of a one-nothing game, all of a sudden that walk doesn't mean quite so much," said Henry.

Hoyer was impressed with Puk.

"I thought he was really good," Hoyer said. "I thought he located real well, he changed speeds real well and he made it real tough on our guys.

"I just felt he lost his command, he couldn't locate as well (in the fourth inning). We have some pretty good hitters and they took advantage of it."

Puk has an 0-3 record this season, but he's struck out 29 batters in 14 1/3 innings (according to the IHSAA website). Control has been a problem, with 17 walks on his ledger. He's hitting about .400.

Puk was clocked at 86 mph at the Perfect Game Junior National Showcase in Fort Myers, Fla., June 14-15 and also hit the ball well in Florida, generating interest from some top college programs.

"The Florida Gators, the Miami Hurricanes, Georgetown, and I got something from Central Florida," he said. "I played pretty well down there."

Yancey and Bell belted back-to-back homers in the fifth inning to give Kennedy a 9-1 lead. Christensen went 1-for-3 with a walk and is hitting .625 (40 for 64).

Sam Kacena went 3-for-3 for Washington with two doubles and an RBI.

Kennedy and Washington will finish their two-game series at Washington Friday night.

WASHINGTON (3)
Brown, lf, 4 0 1 0, N. Dostal, 3b/2b, 3 0 0 0, White, ss, 3 1 1 0, Puk, p/1b, 3 0 0 0, Kacena, c, 3 0 3 1, Burdt, cr, 0 0 0 0, Rhatigan, dh/3b, 3 0 1 0, G. Dostal, 1b, 0 0 0 0, Zingula, 2b/p, 3 1 0 0, Hogg, rf, 1 0 0 0, Barton, ph, 1 0 0 0, Troendle, cf, 3 1 1 1. Totals 27 3 7 2.

KENNEDY (11)
Sykes, 2b, 2 1 0 0, Christensen, p/rf, 3 1 1 0, Michael, ss/p, 4 0 1 2, Hayden, cr, 0 1 0 0, Yancey, lf/p, 4 2 2 2, Hayden, cf, 0 0 0 0, Bell, 1b, 3 2 2 2, Maiers, c, 3 1 0 0, Lizarraga, c, 0 0 0 0, Jacobus, 3b/ss, 3 1 1 3, Ambrosy, rf/1b/lf, 3 1 2 0, Benson, dh, 3 1 1 0, Lloyd, cf/lf, 0 0 0 0. Totals 28 11 10 9.

Washington    001 001 1 - 3 7 4
Kennedy        000 722 x - 11 10 1

Puk, Zingula (4) and Kacena. Christensen, Michael (4), Yancey (7) and Maiers, Lizarraga (7). W - Michael. L - Puk. 2B - White, Kacena 2, Christensen, Yancey, Bell. HR - Yancey, Bell, Jacobus.

No.9 Cougars sweep Dubuque Senior

The Kennedy High School baseball team lived dangerously in the first game of a doubleheader Friday against Dubuque Senior and cruised in the other game at Kennedy Field.

The result was two more victories for the ninth-ranked Cougars (18-4, 11-1).

Kennedy eked out the opener, 4-3, and came back to blow out the Rams in the nightcap, 12-2.

Griffin Michael stepped to the plate with the score tied, 3-3, in the bottom of the seventh inning of the opener with two runners on base and two out. He promptly hit a run-scoring double, driving home Jimmy Lizarraga with the winning run.

The Rams pitched around Austin Christensen to face Michael, who made them pay.

“They walked Christensen and I went up looking for a fastball. I got the pitch I was looking for and just put the ball in play,” said Michael.  “I really like batting in RBI situations.”

Christensen had two hits in the opener, including a double in the first inning. Michael had two RBIs.

Alex Hayden pitched a solid six innings for Kennedy in the opener, striking out eight and not allowing any earned runs. David Yancey pitched the seventh inning and got the win.

The Rams (5-7, 8-12) collected only four hits in the opener, but scored three unearned runs.

The second game was all Kennedy. Christensen socked a two-run homer in the first inning as the Cougars scored five times. It was Christensen's 12th homer this season.

“They were mixing their pitches, so I was patiently looking for a fastball,” said Christensen. “I can be patient because there are so many good hitters in our lineup.”

Cody Bell led a 16-hit barrage in the nightcap by going 3-for-3, scoring three runs and collecting three RBIs. He also flashed some leather at first base on a sensational pickup to finish a double play and save two runs in the third inning.

“We practice on that short hop every day and work at trying to read the ball,” said Bell.

Logan Ambrosy drove in four runs with two hits. Yancey and Austin Benson had two hits apiece.

Adam Lloyd went the distance for Kennedy, giving up three hits and facing only 18 hitters in the five-inning game.

Christensen went 3-for-5 in the doubleheader and is hitting .639 this season (39 for 61).

Game 1

DUBUQUE SENIOR (3)
Grant, ss, 3 1 0 0, Capesius, c, 1 0 0 0, Blake, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Jantsch, rf, 2 0 1 0, Jones, 2b, 4 0 1 0, Kremer, cf, 3 1 1 0, Hansen, dh, 3 0 1 0, Moore, pr, 0 0 0 0, Sabers p, 0 0 0 0, Steines, p, 0 0 0 0, Janes, 3b, 2 1 0 0, Clemens lf, 3 0 0 0. Totals 25 3 4 0.

KENNEDY (4)
Sykes, 2b, 3 1 1 0, Jacobus, 3b, 2 1 1 0, Rhoades, pr, 0 0 0 0, Christensen, rf, 3 1 2 0, Michael, ss, 4 0 1 2, Yancey, lf, 3 0 1 0, Bell, 1b, 3 0 1 0, Maiers, c, 2 0 1 0, Taylor, dh, 2 0 0 0, Ambrosy, pr, 0 0 0 0, Hayden, p, 0 0 0 0, Lloyd, lf, 0 0 0 0, Benson, cf, 3 0 0 0. Totals 25 4 8 3.

Dubuque Senior  002 100 0 - 3 4
Kennedy            102 000 1 - 4 8

Sabers, Steines(7) and Capesius. Hayden, Yancey (7) and Maiers. W - Yancey. L - Sabers. 2B – Jantsch, Christensen. 3B – Kremer. SB – Grant, Sykes, Christensen, Maiers, Ambrosy.

Game 2

DUBUQUE SENIOR (2)
Grant, ss, 1 1 1 0, Capesius, c, 1 0 1 1, Blake, cr, 0 0 0 0, Jantsch, 1b, 1 0 0 1, Powers, dh, 2 0 1 0, Anderson, p, 0 0 0 0, Gesiel, p, 0 0 0 0, Jones, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Kremer, cf, 1 0 0 0, Foley, rf, 2 0 0 0, Clemens lf, 2 1 0 0. Totals 14 3 2 0.

KENNEDY (12)
Sykes, 2b, 3 0 1 1, Jacobus, 3b, 3 1 1 0, Christensen, rf, 2 2 1 2, Unash, ph, 1 0 0 0, Michael, ss, 3 1 1 0, Appelget, ph, 1 0 0 0, Yancey, lf, 2 2 2 1, Rhoades ph, 0 2 0 0, Bell, 1b, 3 3 3 3, Hayden, ph, 1 0 1 0, Maiers, c, 2 0 1 0, Lizarraga, c, 2 0 1 0, Ambrosy, cf, 2 1 2 4, Benson, dh, 3 0 2 0, Lloyd, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 27 12 16 11.

Anderson, Gesiel (5), and Capesius. Lloyd and Maiers, Lizarraga (4). W - Lloyd. L - Anderson. 2B – Powers, Jacobus, Yancey, Bell, Hayden, Maiers, Ambrosy. HR - Christensen. SB - Christensen, Michael.