By Tyler Tjelmeland

Metro Sports Report

Trailing 8-1 with the bases loaded and two outs, any baseball team needs a spark.

The Cedar Rapids Washington Warriors seemed to be in a good position Tuesday night with future Florida Gator and highly touted lefty A.J. Puk coming to the plate. However, Puk struck out looking at a curveball that just painted the edge from Iowa City High righthander Grant Simpson.

Puk’s at-bat illustrated more than just one inning for the Warriors. It demonstrated the entire night for Washington as it fell in both contests, 11-1 in five innings and 9-6, in a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at Washington.

Ryan Duncan led off the first inning in the first game against Puk with a deep triple off the right-field wall and City High never looked back.

Duncan scored on a passed ball, Jack Frakes reached on a dropped third strike and Mitch Wieland hit a no-doubt homer to deep right field to put the Little Hawks up 3-0.

After the big first inning, Puk settled in for an inning but was pulled in the third after putting two runners on and eclipsing 50 pitches with his tender left elblow. Once Puk was yanked, the floodgates opened with Josh Crosby on the hill.

Crosby gave up six runs and the Little Hawks maintained their commanding lead, even after Washington's Noah Dostal hit a home run in the third inning.

The Warriors looked to bounce back in the second game with sophomore starter Matt Troendle on the mound, but were unable to keep Iowa City off the board early and the Little Hawks plated five runs in the first inning.

The Warriors, after seeing Troendle give up eight runs, put in reliever Robert Hogg, who was able to limit the damage while they tried to get back in the game. In the sixth inning, the Warriors were able to plate five runs, but were unable to convert a bases-loaded situation with designated hitter Zach Gillis at the plate. Gillis struck out swinging.

Game 1

IOWA CITY HIGH (11)

Duncan, cf, 3 2 1 2, Frakes, 2b, 3 2 2 1, Wieland, ss, 4 2 2 4, Crosby, 1b, 2 0 0 0, Mrstik, p, 3 0 2 2, Stika, c, 2 1 0 0, Mill, ph, 1 0 0 0, Simpson, lf, 2 0 1 1, Reineke, ph, 1 0 0 0, Hasler, 3b, 2 0 0 0, Paguada, ph, 1 0 0 0, Gervock, rf, 2 1 0 0. Totals 26 11 8 10.

WASHINGTON (1)

N.Dostal, ss, 3 1 1 1, Hogg, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Puk, p/1b, 2 0 0 0, Burdt, rf, 2 0 0 0, Gillis, 1b, 2 0 2 0, Troendle, cf, 2 0 0 0, Hand, lf, 2 0 0 0, Rings, c, 2 0 0 0, Dobbs, 3b, 1 0 0 0, Christensen, ph, 1 0 0 0. Totals 19 1 3 1.

W - Mrstik. L - Puk.

Game 2

IOWA CITY HIGH (9)

Duncan, cf/p, 4 1 1 0, Frakes, 2b, 3 2 1 1, Simpson, ph, 1 0 0 0, Wieland, ss, 4 2 0 0, Crosby, 1b, 4 2 3 0, Mrstik, 3 0 1 1, Kenney, p, 4 1 1 0, Stika, c, 2 1 0 0, Mills, lf, 2 0 1 2, Gevock, rf, 3 0 0 0. Totals 30 9 8 4.

WASHINGTON (6)

N.Dostal, ss, 4 1 2 2, Hogg, cf, 2 0 0 0, Puk, 1b, 3 0 1 1, Burdt, rf, 3 1 1 1, Gillis, dh, 3 0 1 1, Troendle, p, 4 0 1 0, Hand, lf, 3 0 0 0, Dobbs, 3b, 3 2 1 1, Rings, c, 3 1 2 0. Totals 28 6 9 6.

W - Hasler. L - Troendle.