Cascade reigns after the rains

DES MOINES - Cascade has waited a long time to earn its first state baseball tournament win.

Heavy rains and a spectacular lightning display that visited Principal Park forced them to wait longer than expected, but it couldn't prevent it.

After a five-hour delay, the top-seeded Cougars were able to put the finishing touches on the program's memorable accomplishment. Cascade edged No. 8 Mediapolis, 6-2, Monday in a Class 2A state quarterfinal.

The wait was worth it.

'It just feels great, coming down here and getting our first game done and getting that win,” Cascade's Trace Hoffman said. 'Moving on in history, it feels awesome.”

Both teams retreated to their respective locker rooms while weather kept them off the field. The Cougars (38-3) discovered various ways to pass the time. Some watched television, a few played card games and others took naps.

Cascade Coach Roamn Hummel worried about keeping guys active and loose, but the Cougars were fine.

'I think we were just anxious to get back out on the field and play,” Cascade senior Reis Rausch said. 'It really wasn't hard to stay concentrated or focused because we knew what was on the line.”

The stakes may have caused them to be a little tight early, managing just one run in the game's first half. The Cougars returned from the break for the sixth closer to form, jumping on reliever Kelton Gourley for three runs on four hits, including a two-run double from Derek Lieurance that scored Evan Simon and Kurt Trumm. Hoffman's team-high third hit of the game drove in Lieurance to pad their lead.

Hummel said Mediapolis starter Tim Diewold caused the slow start, but Cascade's depth was apparent with eight starters getting at least one hit.

'He kept us off-balance throughout the game,” Hummel said. 'He threw inside. We kind of expected that a little bit. We made some adjustments. They gave us some runs. We gave them some runs early. As the game went on, I thought we were able to relax a little bit more. Certainly, when we came back out and got the leadoff guy on that made a big difference.”

Hoffman has not allowed a run all season, pitching more than 41 innings. He threw 2 2/3 innings, relieving Lieurance, and earning his eighth win of the year. Hoffman shut down the Bulldogs, ending a bases loaded threat with a double play in the fifth. He said his nap during the delay helped.

'I just had to focus on being loose and ready to go,” Hoffman said. 'We did that, so it wasn't too bad.”

Hummel was comfortable in bringing Hoffman back in despite the layoff.

'We were very confident just for the simple fact that he only threw 14 pitches,” Hummel said. 'We said 14 pitches wasn't too bad. It's like playing a game of catch. We felt very comfortable bringing him back out.”

Rausch sparked the Cougars, resulting in their first two runs. He reached on an error in the opening inning, and scored when Nolan Weber drove him an opposite-field double to the left-field wall, tying the game, 1-1.

Rausch led off the fifth with a base hit down the right-field line and advanced to third on a Hoffman single. Weber walked, but the fourth ball skipped to the backstop, allowing Rausch to race home, giving Cascade the lead for good at 3-2.

'I knew that I had good hitters after me and if I just hit it hard things would take care of itself,” Rausch said. 'To get on for those guys after me is a great feeling, because I knew they would bring me in.”

Those runs sandwiched Mitch Recker's run in the fourth, putting the Cougars ahead 2-1. He singled and took second on a passed ball. Recker scored when Trumm's two-out ground ball was misplayed by the second baseman.

Cascade couldn't shake the pesky Bulldogs (21-10), who was powered by Griffin Dean. He drove in both Mediapolis runs. Griffin had a two-out single to bring in Alex Ensminger, who led off with a walk, for a 1-0 led in the first. Dean drew a bases-loaded walk to score Robbie Fletcher in the fifth, tying the game, 2-2.

The victory alleviates some of the pressure to change Cascade's state history. These Cougars have advanced further than the previous three state qualifying teams. They will turn their attention to their semifinal contest Thursday at 5 p.m., facing the winner of Waterloo Columbus and Hinton.

'Even this game, we weren't at our best by any means until the very end of it there,” Hummel said. 'I think it's a big confidence boost for these guys going into Thursday's game as well. OK, we got this out of the way and will be a lot more comfortable.”

l Comments: (319) 368-8679; kj.pilcher@thegazette.com