Justin Wyant and Austin Stroschein will be leaving for college later this summer and the next step in their baseball careers, but they'd like to help the Linn-Mar Lions make a return trip to the Class 4A state tournament before they leave.

Wyant and Stroschein took steps in that direction with good pitching performances Wednesday night as Linn-Mar swept a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader from Jefferson, 13-7 and 6-3, at the Linn-Mar complex.

Wyant allowed only one run in five innings in the opener in sweltering conditions, then Stroschein went the distance and threw 100 pitches in the nightcap.

Wyant and Stroschein are the aces of the Linn-Mar staff and will be counted on heavily when the Class 4A substate tournament begins in three weeks. They definitely want to end their high school careers at the state tournament in Des Moines.

"I think we have a good chance," said Wyant, who will play at Johnson County Community College in Kansas City. "We have a tough little substate with Iowa City West, but I think we can beat them. I'm confident in these guys and I think we can make just as good a run as last year."

Wyant (2-2, 2.08 ERA) allowed four hits, struck out seven batters and walked two in five innings. He departed with a 9-1 lead and had to sweat a little as Jefferson (6-20, 4-14) fought back and  made a game of it against the Linn-Mar bullpen.

Stroschein (4-1, 2.10 ERA) got off to a slightly shaky start in the nightcap, but was a bulldog and pitched the entire game. He got stronger as the game went along.

"I actually haven't thrown in like two weeks," said Stroschein, who will play at DMACC next season. "We've had a lot of rainouts and stuff. It was good to get back on the mound. I was a little rusty at first, but I found it after a few innings and it felt good."

Stroschein said he suffered a minor ailment to his right shoulder against Xavier two weeks ago, but said he felt good Wednesday night. "It was just a little sore. It's fine," he said.

Mitch Stickney drove in three runs for Linn-Mar in the first game. Brandt Ollinger and Ben Larson had two RBIs apiece.

Jefferson pitchers walked eight batters and hit four others in the first game. The J-Hawks also committed four errors, compounding their problems.

Stroschein went 3-for-4 to help his own cause in the nightcap. Jimmy Roth, Austin Banks, Ollinger and Larson had two hits. Banks had a triple.

Spencer Van Scoyoc went 5-for-8 in the twinbill for Jefferson with three singles, a double and a triple. He also pitched six innings in the nightcap and made a sensational running catch in center field in the opener.

Ky Kramer, Lucas Larson and Drew Johnson had two hits for Jefferson in the first game. Cameron Frazier had two hits in the nightcap.

Linn-Mar Coach Chad Lechner became dizzy and lightheaded during the second game Wednesday and was taken for medical treatment. Lechner spent a long day at the ballpark, getting the field ready in hot, steamy conditions.

Linn-Mar athletic director Scott Mahmens thought Lechner was going to get an IV to pump more fluids into his system and would be all right.

GAME 1

JEFFERSON (7): Van Scoyoc, cf, 4 0 3 2, Frazier, rf, 4 0 0 1, Koering, p, 1 0 0 0, Hansen, cr, 0 0 0 0, Neuberger, p/1b, 1 0 0 0, Hunt, c, 4 0 0 0, Sullivan, lf, 4 1 1 0, Kramer, 3b, 3 2 2 1, Colbert, 1b/p, 2 2 1 0, Scott, p, 0 0 0 0, Karlan, ph, 1 1 1 0, L.Larson, ss, 3 1 2 2, Johnson, 2b, 3 0 2 1. Totals 30 7 12 7.

LINN-MAR (13): Mortensen, cf, 4 2 1 1, Strellner, ss, 3 0 0 1, Stickney, rf, 5 1 1 3, Stroschein, 3b, 2 2 0 0, Roth, 1b, 4 1 1 1, Banks, c, 1 0 0 0, Bettmann, cr, 0 2 0 0, Ollinger, 2b, 1 2 1 2, Wyant, p, 3 0 1 1, Reimer, cr, 0 1 0 0, Jennings, p, 0 0 0 0, Bradley, p, 1 0 1 1, B.Larson, lf, 3 2 2 2. Totals 27 13 8 12.

Jefferson   000 014 2 - 7 12 4
Linn-Mar    002 704 x - 13 8 0

Koering, Neuberger (4), Colbert (6), Scott (6) and Hunt. Wyant, Jennings (6), Bradley (6) and Banks. W - Wyant. L - Koering. 2B - Karlan, Ollinger. 3B - Kramer, Stickney. SB - Roth.

GAME 2

JEFFERSON (3): Van Scoyoc, p/1b, 4 2 2 0, Frazier, cf, 3 1 2 1, Koering, c, 3 0 1 0, Scott, cr, 0 0 0 0, Kramer, 1b/p, 0 0 0 1, Scott, pr, 0 0 0 0, Hunt, 3b, 3 0 1 0, Sullivan, lf, 3 0 0 0, Karlan, dh/rf, 3 0 0 0, Hansen, rf, 0 0 0 0, L.Larson, ss, 3 0 1 0, Johnson, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Colbert, ph, 1 0 0 0. Totals 22 3 7 2.

LINN-MAR (6): Mortensen, cf, 3 0 0 1, Strellner, ss, 1 1 0 1, Stickney, rf, 4 1 1 1, Stroschein, p, 4 0 3 0, Bettmann, cr, 0 1 0 0, Gross, cr, 0 0 0 0, Roth, 2b, 3 0 2 0, Banks, 3b, 3 1 2 1, Ollinger, c, 4 0 2 1, Reimer, cr, 0 1 0 0, Kane, 1b, 2 0 0 0, Jennings, ph, 0 1 0 0, B.Larson, lf, 3 0 2 0. Totals 27 6 12 5.

Jefferson    102 000 0 - 3 7 2
Linn-Mar     200 220 x - 6 12 1

Van Scoyoc, Kramer (6) and Koering. Stroschein and Ollinger. W - Stroschein. L - Van Scoyoc. 2B - Van Scoyoc. 3B - Van Scoyoc, Banks. SB - Scott, L.Larson.