Dyersville Beckman continues emotional season with state baseball semifinal berth

DES MOINES — Dyersville Beckman continued its emotional season.

In the Blazers' final practice before the state tournament, they welcomed an inspirational spectator with a motivational message. Despite a battle with Stage 4 Glioblastoma — an aggressive form of brain cancer — that kept him from coaching this season, Hall of Famer Tom Jenk Jr. attended the workout and imparted some of the knowledge that helped Beckman to all but one of its previous 18 state appearances, 12 state finals and five state titles.

'This season has been strictly for Jenk,' Beckman senior Colin Koelker said. 'He went to our last practice and said make sure you guys don't lose your last game of the season, so he's really shooting for us to win that championship.

'He sat in the dugout and just watched the practice. He had a few wise words to say.'

The top-seeded Blazers received a quality start from Jackson Bennett and tallied 10 hits, beating No. 8 Denver, 7-1, in the Class 2A state baseball tournament Monday at Principal Park. Beckman (30-11) will face No. 4 seed Iowa City Regina (28-7) in the semifinals Thursday at 5 p.m.

Jenk did not make the trip to Des Moines. He has attended some of the Blazers' games after the December diagnosis. The team honored him by marking the third-base batters' box at its home park with '#11,' which was his jersey number. Beckman players and supporters wear #teamjenk T-shirts.

'It feels great,' Bennett said. 'We're trying to win one for T.J. It's definitely really weird not having him around.

'This is his time of the year. It's weird not having him, but it makes us want to go out even harder.'

Longtime assistant and friend, Fred Martin, has assumed the on-field duties, although both are listed as co-coaches on the roster and Martin's score cards. A new wheelchair-accessible van made it possible for him to take in the practice and Jenk didn't waste time doing what he did so well.

'He was excited,' Martin said. 'He was firing right out of that van and got right to the dugout. He was ready to go. He's telling kids right away this is what you've got to do and all the things, but that's T.J.'

Martin said the team has met with Jenk. It can be emotional. Usually, tears are replaced with enthusiasm to play for the man that has been at Beckman since 1975.

'They're fired up,' Martin said. 'I don't think they're putting that much pressure on themselves,' Martin said. 'They're just pumped. They're motivated to play ball.'

The Blazers had little trouble advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2014. Bennett surrendered an unearned run in the second inning, but became almost untouchable.

Bennett allowed only two hits and struck out 10, retiring 10 straight batters from the end of the third through the sixth when he gave way to C.J. McDermott for the last inning. Bennett overcame early nerves, working ahead in the count and trusting his defense. He said he felt stronger as the game progressed.

'I was a little nervous so I didn't really go through the warm-ups as good as I should have and get as loose,' Bennett said. 'Once I knew I could do it, I started settling down and it was a little more fun, too.'

Beckman scored in the opening inning. Brock Marbach and C.J. McDermott drew bases-loaded walks to score Koelker and Bennett for a 2-0 lead.

The blazers broke it open in the third. Sam Stelken and Marbach opened with consecutive singles and McDermott was hit by a pitch. Ninth batter Mark Brown hit a two-run single that drove in Stelken and Marbach.

'I had two strikes on me and that pitcher's pretty good,' Brown said. 'I was just trying to put the ball in play and make something kind of happen.'

Brown singled and scored in the sixth. Joel Vaske added a triple and stole home to cap the scoring.

Regina shut out Treynor in the first 2A quarterfinal. Beckman watched that game and knows what awaits.

'They are really good athletes and great players,' said Bennett, who has played with some of the Regals in the past. 'They're a good team. It's going to be a tough game.'

Beckman isn't the only Wamac Conference team at state. Marion is the fifth seed in the 3A field. The Indians (31-10) face No. 4 Dubuque Wahlert (26-15) in a quarterfinal Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

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