Errors plague Hawks in loss to Nikes

DONNELLSON — Central Lee baseball coach Shane Weirather glanced at the scoreboard and knew the numbers should have been much different.
The 6-1 loss to Notre Dame in Friday’s Southeast Iowa Super Conference South Division game was all about how the Nikes capitalized on the plays the Hawks didn’t make in the first two innings.
Misplayed pop-ups in the infield and a couple of misplays in the outfield led to all of Notre Dame’s runs in those innings, and even with the pitching Weirather got the Hawks (7-3 overall, 4-2 division) couldn’t rally.
“By my count, there were about five outs each inning we could have had,” Weirather said. “It’s hard minimizing damage when you’re giving up five outs to a good team like that. They’re going to make plays, they’re going to get timely hits, so you can’t give them opportunities. You just can’t do that.”
Notre Dame (6-4, 5-2), which won its fifth consecutive game, had just five hits, but only one after the second inning. Central Lee starting pitcher Caedon Newton, after those opening innings, retired the side in order in the third inning, then Blake Davis pitched four scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out six.
“This could have been a 1-0 game with just a little better play in the first two innings,” Weirather said. “There would have been a whole different mood around the team right now. But yeah, we got great pitching all night.”
There were even lost opportunities by the Hawks’ offense. Central Lee’s lone run came in the first inning when Gage Van Ausdall singled to Ward Fraise, but the Hawks left the bases loaded in that inning.

Central Lee had runners in scoring position in the second, third and fifth innings, but couldn’t score.
“I would have liked a little more contact tonight,” Weirather said. “Again, that should have been a 1-0, 2-1 game, something like that.”
The Hawks fell two games behind division leader Mediapolis.
“We’re going to need some help now,” Weirather said.
Central Lee plays two games in a tournament at Hillcrest Academy in Kalona on Saturday. The Hawks play Keokuk at noon, and then Hillcrest Academy in the game after that.
“I’d like to see us play with a little energy, with the noon start,” Weirather said. “We need to start finalizing the stuff we’re going to need down the stretch. I'm going to need more pitchers than (Newton and Davis). These two can't pitch every game, so it's a big deal for the rest of the staff to get out there and tell me who should be pitching when we’re not throwing our top two. And then down in the lineup, things need to shake out a little bit, and guys need to show me who will need to get at-bats when we get to the postseason.
“I think we’re going to be a hard out when we get to the postseason. I think we just need to still figure some things out.”