SLATER — The pitching and defense were there, but the timely hitting was not for the Ballard baseball team during its Class 3A Substate 7 semifinal game against Boone on July 13 at Nite Hawk Field.
The Bombers stranded 13 base runners in suffering a 2-1 loss to the Toreadors in eight innings.
“That was the difference in the game,” said Ballard coach Mike Furlong. “We just didn’t execute with runners in scoring position.”
In the bottom of the fourth inning Stetson Kane and Ethan Rouse both singled and Bowen Benedict reached on an error to load the bases for Ballard with one out. But the Bombers left everyone stranded after Boone pitcher Noah Gorman picked up a strikeout then forced a ground out to first base.
Ballard left two runners on base in the fifth inning and another one in the sixth. But the Bombers only trailed 1-0 thanks to the brilliant pitching of Benedict.
Benedict, just a freshman, came in for starter Michael Wiechmann with the bases loaded and just one out in the bottom of the first inning. He faced Boone’s Cole Christeson, who hit a fly ball to center field to drive in the game’s first run, but did not allow another score in 5 2/3 innings.
Benedict only allowed four hits and one walk, and he struck out five batters before turning the game over to Bryce Miller in the top of the seventh.
“I tried to be as efficient as possible,” said Benedict. “Get the ball over the plate, pitch to contact (and) let my guys do their job.”
Boone put two runs on base in the seventh, but Miller got out of the inning unscathed.
After Ballard stranded one runner in the bottom of the seventh inning, Boone found a way to push a run across in the top of the eighth thanks to a leadoff double from Gorman.
Miller nearly got out of the jam after forcing Christeson to fly out to left field and then striking out Landon Youngblood. But with two outs, Boone’s Ryan Bowers came up clutch with an RBI single to center.
Ballard tried to answer in the bottom of the inning when Benedict singled and Ben Clement reached on catcher’s interference to put runners on first and second with just one out. But the needed game-changing hit evaded the Bombers once again as Jake Clement grounded out to end the game.
Braxton Gifford got the win in relief for Boone. He struck out two batters and gave up two hits and one walk in 2 1/3 innings.
The Toreadors will take an 18-11 record into the 3A Substate 7 championship game against No. 4 Cedar Rapids Xavier on July 15 at Cedar Rapids.
Miller took the loss after giving up one run on two hits with one strikeout and no walks in 1 2/3 innings. Benedict had two hits and Rouse, Kane, Sid Farmer and Evan Entrekin each had a single for the Bombers, who finished 21-12.
“We didn’t reach the goals we wanted to, which is always disappointing, but it was a fun group of guys,” Furlong said. “I really enjoyed coaching them. They did the little things right, and that’s about all you can ask for.”
Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Ballard drops extra-inning affair to Boone in 3A substate semifinals
Reporting by Joe Randleman, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Joe Randleman, Ames Tribune | USA TODAY Network
