Bulldogs hold on for win over Hawks

MEDIAPOLIS — Central Lee’s baseball team had opportunities for a couple of bigger innings than the Hawks were able to produce against Mediapolis, and it cost them.
The 5-3 loss was about some missed chances against the No. 6 (Class 2A) Bulldogs, who won their 12th consecutive game.
“Just not enough baserunners all over the place,” Central Lee coach Shane Weirather said. “It seemed like they had baserunners every inning.”
The Hawks (11-3 overall, 4-3 Southeast Iowa Super Conference South Division) opened the game with two runs in the top of the first inning, but Weirather was hoping for more.
Ward Fraise singled to start the game, then scored on Bo Herdrich’s one-out double. Hunter Edlin’s two-out single scored Herdrich.
“We got two in the first, but I’ve been talking about not getting enough runs in that situation,” Weirather said. “And so we got a lead, but we didn’t tack on to that.”
The Hawks had runners in scoring position in the second and fourth innings, but couldn’t take advantage. That allowed the Bulldogs to get going.

Mediapolis (18-1, 10-0) scored one run in the third inning on Gannon Gunn’s single, then took a 3-2 lead in the fourth. Braeden Oliver’s single scored Max Griffin, then Henry Luttenegger scored on an error.
Central Lee tied the game in the top of the fifth but again, the Hawks could have had more. Herdrich’s single scored Fraise with the tying run and put runners on first and second, but Mediapolis pitcher Kyler Crow struck out the next two hitters to end the inning. Crow then retired the side in order in the sixth and seventh.
“It would have been nice if we could have gotten the lead in that inning,” Weirather said. “Again, we’ve got to stack runs in those kind of innings.”
Mediapolis took the lead in the bottom of the fifth on Griffin’s single that scored Payton Doty. The Bulldogs then added a run in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk.
“They’re a good team, kind of a measuring stick for us,” said Weirather, whose team had its eight-game winning streak snapped. “We had some things get away from us, and they knew how to capitalize.”
Central Lee had just five hits, including two each from Herdrich and Edlin.
“There’s just some things we need to clean up,” Weirather said. “I think we're playing pretty decent baseball. But it’s things like getting a bunt down, or fielding a bunt, or not having a leadoff walk to open an inning. It’s the little things. We just have to come in sharper than we have at times this season, and we’ll be OK.”