Van Buren upset in second round of districts

EDDYVILLE ? A postseason rematch with Davis County will have to wait until next year for Van Buren, which fell to Eddyville-Blakesburg 7-3 in the second round of postseason baseball Tuesday.

The loss snapped a 22-game winning streak for the sixth-ranked Warriors, who end the season earlier than they would?ve liked after going 26-2 overall and winning the Southeast Iowa Superconference south division title.

Eddyville next will face top-ranked Davis County, which blasted Mid-Prairie 12-1 in the other semifinal game, in the Class 2A District 10 final Thursday.

The Warriors fell behind to the Rockets 5-0 after four innings before scoring their first three runs in the top of the fifth. Van Buren?s struggles at the plate continued into the final two frames, however, as they failed to find the scoreboard against reliever Craig Larkin.

Eddyville scored one run in the opening inning and three more in the third against senior Blake Scott, who allowed four runs ? one earned ? in three innings. Garrett Saunders, who pitched the final three innings, allowed three runs on five hits. Saunders fanned three Rocket batters.

Van Buren?s Ty Smith paced the offense with 2-for-4 hitting, one run scored and an RBI. Mitchell Countryman was 2 for 3 with a double and run scored and Saunders finished 2 for 4. Jacob Wolf and Colin Weaver had one base knock apiece.

In both the previous seasons, Van Buren was bounced from the postseason by the Mustangs. Prior to Tuesday?s loss, Van Buren hadn?t lost a game since Davis County won 12-0 on May 26.

Class 2A District 10 Semifinals

Van Buren @ Eddyville-Blakesburg

Van Buren ? 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 ? 3 8 4

Eddyville ? 1 0 3 1 0 2 X ? 7 10 1

VAN BUREN ? Countryman 2-3, 2B, R; Smith 2-4, RBI, R; Saunders 2-4; Wolf 1-2, R; Weaver 1-3; Scott RBI

Pitching ? Scott (L, 7-1) 3 INN, 4R, ER, 5H, K; Saunders 3 INN, 3R, 3ER, 5H, 3K, 3BB