IMS hangs on against Lone Tree

Things got a little dicey for the Iowa Mennonite baseball team late in the game on Wednesday afternoon.

Holding a 6-2 lead going into the seventh inning, IMS saw the visiting Lone Tree Lions put together a rally, and put three runs up on the board.

A pitching change ushered in a strikeout, and then a pick-off at second base saw the game end with IMS taking the 6-5 victory.

?It was a good to see us come back from being down two runs early,? IMS head coach Danny Hershberger said. ?We came back and put three runs on the board and take the lead and keep building on it. It was a little closer than you?d like there at the end, but our defense made a play to win the game and Nick (Yutzy) made a great play to get the strikeout. We did a great job of finishing.?

Yutzy capped off the third win of the season for Iowa Mennonite, who now sits at 3-2 early in the year. It also marks the third win in four games for IMS, who faces West Burlington at home on Thursday night.

Before Yutzy came in for the save, freshman Blake Bontrager pitched 6 1/3 innings for IMS, allowing eight hits and three earned runs, while striking out six in the contest.

?I was working outside well,? Bontrager said. ?I got a few curveballs going and got a few strikeouts. (The defense) helped my confidence a lot. It helps me have more confidence to throw riskier pitches.?

IMS opened the game in a deficit, as a pair of RBI singles in the first and second innings from Lone Tree put the Lions in front 2-0.

In the bottom of the third, IMS got its bats rolling, as Bontrager walked, followed by a Cole Ours single, and a Yutzy single loaded the bases.

A balk brought home IMS? first run, while an RBI from Drake Brezina brought home Ours.

A passed ball scored Yutzy, putting IMS up 3-2 after three innings.

IMS tacked on two more runs in the fifth, with Noah Bruns notching an RBI single, and Brezina scoring on an error later in the inning.

Bontrager scored on a passed ball in the sixth, giving IMS the cushion they?d need going into the seventh.

?This was one we needed to get to keep our momentum going,? Bontrager said. ?We have a tough game on Thursday, so it was good.?

IMS also picked up a win on Tuesday against Columbus, outscoring them 18-4 in the contest.

Brezina had a pair of hits in the contest to go with three runs, two stolen bases and two walks, while Bruns scored four runs off a hit and four walks.

Justin Litwiller had three runs scored in the game, while also notching five RBIs in the contest.

Overall, IMS drew 16 walks in the game against Columbus.

?It?s been nice,? Hershberger said, ?we?ve done a great job this year of having some great at-bats. We aren?t swinging at too many bad pitches.?

With a strong start to the season, Hershberger is crediting the entire team for helping them out.

?Overall, how we are playing as a team,? Hershberger said. ?We?ve played solid defense and have been pitching well lately. We?ve been able to give ourselves chances at the plate, and we?ve taken a big step that we weren?t at last year, so that?s good to see.?

IMS? home game against West Burlington will be held at 7 p.m.