F.D. St. Edmond beats Beckman for 2A title, 11-8

Fort Dodge St. Edmond scored eight runs in the second inning and held off Dyersville Beckman, 11-8, in the Class 2A state championship baseball game Saturday afternoon at Principal Park. Read Sunday's Gazette for a full game story and postgame reactions from Beckman and St. Edmond players and coaches.

It's St. Edmond's first state baseball title. Beckman is 3-6 in championship games.

Beckman rallied within 11-8 with four runs in the sixth. The Blazers had the tying run at the plate, but St. Edmond reliever John Engler struck out Craig Kerper looking to end the inning.

Six straight Beckman hitters reached with two outs in the sixth: back-to-back hit batters, a walk, a three-run double off the CF's glove by Eric DeSousa, an RBI double off the CF wall by Travis Rahe and a walk to Dustin Jacque. St. Edmond starter Joey Flattery was knocked out of the game.

Things unraveled early in this one for Beckman.

Both teams scored twice in the first but St. Edmond (34-3) rallied for EIGHT second-inning runs and another in the third. The first 10 Gaels reached in the second.

Beckman starting pitcher DeSousa (13-1) was replaced in the second by Rahe, who didn't retire any of the four hitters he faced and was replaced by Jimmy Boeckenstedt, who did a great job, giving up just one run in six innings of relief.

All 11 St. Edmond runs are earned, too. The Gaels have 14 his, have walked six times and been hit once.

 St. Edmond took the immediate lead in the top of the first on a two-run double to dead center by Engler, over the head of Beckman CF Nate Hall. It was the third hit of the inning for the Gaels, following Nick Clark's leadoff bloop single to right and Joey Slattery's one-out sharp single to left.

Beckman (33-10) scored twice in the bottom half, however, to tie it. Reittinger walked leading off, then Hall walked with one out. An RBI single to right by DeSousa scored Reittinger and moved Hall to third. He scored on a fielder's choice grounder off the bat of Rahe. Jacque then hit a high fly to center that St. Edmond CF Jon Flattery lost in the sun and let drop. The slow-footed Rahe was thrown out at home plate easily to end the inning.

Beckman's other runs came in the second (on an error) and in the fifth (on three straight two-out hits).