BGM’s ‘great year’ rolls on

TRAER - BGM finally made it over the hump.

After a 5-2 Class 1A substate final victory over upset minded Grundy Center last night, the Bears (25-2) are headed to Des Moines after coming up short in the previous two years.

Coach Jerod Burns said the victory couldn't have come at a better time for his team - or the community.

'We haven't had a strong tradition, especially in baseball,” Burns said. 'It feels really good. The community comes out to support their team, and that's all they've got.”

Zac Freese pitched a complete game, allowing five hits, two runs and striking out seven batters. The Bears were able to jump out to an early lead. BGM held a 4-1 lead after a three-run fourth inning off three errors by the Spartans (13-29).

While baseball is on the minds of many entering the state tournament, Freese said athletics within the BGM community have been watched from August all the way through July.

'It's been great this year, because we made finals in football this year,” Freese said. 'Now baseball hit, and everyone is still all around us. And now we've just got to do our best.”

Burns said one of the key puzzles to his team's nearly flawless run to the state tournament the arm of Freese. In his four years, Freese has won 46 games and has progressed as a dominate pitcher.

'He goes out and he battles,” Burns said. 'He doesn't have overall powering stuff, so he's got to locate. And he does that. When he gets into jams, he pitches out of them.”

Freese said putting everything together in his senior season has made this ride one to remember.

'We've finally got past the hump,” he said. 'We got here three times now and we finally got the win,” Freese said.