Linn-Mar pushes win streak to 10

MARION - There are some snappy new baseball hats waiting to be broken out by the Linn-Mar baseball team.

"Every year we let the varsity kids design a hat for our secondary uniforms," said Lions Coach Chad Lechner. "They are really sharp and we got them (Thursday) but the kids decided they aren't going to wear them until they lose."

The way the Lions are playing, it could be awhile before the new hats make an appearance. Linn-Mar pushed its winning streak to 10 last night with a sweep of Cedar Rapids Prairie, holding on late to win the opener, 2-1, before pulling away late to take the nightcap, 12-3.

Although the Linn-Mar players are enjoying the win streak, junior outfielder/pitcher Nate Greve said the team is simply focusing on playing good baseball.

"We're trying not to focus too much (on the win streak) right now," said Greve, who came on in the opener to pick up a save. "We're just working on throwing strikes and making some plays."

It is a philsophy that has worked well for the Lions of late. At 15-6 overall, 10-2 in the Mississippi Division of the Mississippi Valley Conference, Linn-Mar is making a a run at a division title.

"I like where we are at right now," Lechner said. "We have 12 or 13 guys we'd love to get at bats for, but it is hard to get some of the other guys in there when we are playing so well."

In the opener, senior left-hander Jake Stolley shut down the Hawks for six innings before giving way to Greve in the seventh. Prairie's lead-off batter reached on an error and eventually came around to score. With runners on first and second with one out, Greve came through with a key strikeout for the second out and forced a ground ball that turned into a game-ending fielder's choice on a close play at second to end the game.

"I wasn't worried when the first guy reached on the error," Greve said. "I just tried to go out there and not overthrow. I just wanted to throw strikes."

The strong pitching continued in Game 2. Junior Austin Stroschein tossed a complete game, striking out 10 Hawks.

"That was Austin's best game of the season," Lechner said. "He is really starting to get his pitching legs under him, which is good to see."

Prairie held a 2-1 lead entering the bottom of the fourth in the nightcap. The Hawks  (10-10, 6-6) were one out away from getting out of the inning, but No. 9 hitter Justin Wyant laced a single to center to bring home the go-ahead run. Greve followed with a single, Kevin Bogert a double and when Michael Redmond's high fly to left was misplayed, the Lions found themselves with a six-run inning and a 7-2 advantage. They added one more in the fifth and three in the sixth, the key blow in that inning a ringing double from Redmond.

The Lions' new-hat plan will be put to the test Monday when the meet top-ranked Kennedy.

"I think we're going to come out strong and bring our A game against Kennedy," Greve said.

Said Lechner. "I think we are doing things much better than when we played Kennedy earlier, but I think they are doing things better as well. It should be a good night of baseball."