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Friday, May 24, 2013
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BREAKING: Bears baseball team heading to state!
by Norv and Mary Coblentz · News · July 18, 2012
The Bears beat the Mt. Vernon Mustangs in a thriller, finishing 10-9 July 17 at Solon in the substate game. The win sends the Bears to the state tournament.
West Branch will face first-seed Dyersville-Beckman at 6 p.m. July 20 at Principal Field in Des Moines.
The Bears started off hot, scoring four runs in the top of the first. Brandon Young and Braden Dlhy both singled and Young scored on a double by Bo Bower. Cody Brandt batted next and hit a three-run homer.
The Bears held onto their lead until the bottom of the fourth when, after giving up three singles to load the bases then walking in a run, pitcher Branden Shortt traded places with first baseman Cody Brandt. Brandt struggled as well, walking in a run. The next batter hit the ball to Dlhy at third base. The umpire said the throw pulled catcher Max Kober off the bag, and another run scored. Another run was walked in, then the Bears got a force out at home, this time Dlhy-to-Kober worked flawlessly. Brandt got a strikeout for the second out then walked in another run. The next batter hit the ball to Young at shortstop who tossed it to Cole Cook at second to end the inning.
The Bears tied it up with a run in the top of the fifth. Bower led off with a single up the middle, Brandt grounded out to advance Bo, the Cook hit a single to left field, scoring Bower for the 5-5 tally. But the Mustangs scored four more runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a three-run lead. A hit batsman, a single, and an error loaded the bases with one out. A double scored two runs and gave Mt. Vernon their first lead of the night. A single up the middle scored two more runs, then the Bears brought in Young to pitch. He walked one but got two groundouts to end the inning.
In the sixth, West Branch tied the game at nine. Kober led off the inning with a single, and Ryan Kirkey singled. The Mustangs brought in a fresh pitcher to face lead-off man Young. He drew a base on balls to load the bases. Dlhy hit the ball in the infield for what looked like a sure out at second, but Young beat the throw and Kober scored. Bower hit a single and scored Kirkey and Young to tie the game.
Bower came in to pitch in the bottom of the sixth. He walked the lead-off batter, struck out one, walked two more to load the bases, then struck the next two out. In the top of the seventh, the Bears scored a run. Shortt doubled and was sacrificed to third by Kober. A sacrifice fly by Kirkey scored Shortt. The Bears tried for some insurance runs and loaded the bases but they didn't score again. They held onto the one run lead when Bower alternated strikeouts and walks, catching the last Mustang looking and leaving two on base. |
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