Dyersville Beckman powers past Anamosa to return to Class 2A state baseball tournament

MANCHESTER — Nate Offerman was comfortable and confident on the mound.

And Dyersville Beckman is Carroll bound — again.

The senior right-hander tossed a complete game and helped the third-ranked Blazers to an 8-2 victory over Anamosa for the Class 2A Substate 4 title Tuesday night at Beckman Sport Complex.

Offerman produced another solid outing for the Blazers. He scattered seven hits and struck out four with just one base on balls, improving to 9-0 this season.

“I’ve been comfortable this year,” Offerman said. “I have a lot of wins on the mound. Not a lot of things have gone seriously wrong for me. I know that if the ball is on the ground we’re going to make the play. It’s one of those things whether it’s off-speed, fastball or whatever I have to do to get it in the zone I’ve just got to throw strikes.”

Offerman said he couldn’t pinpoint a catalyst to his comfort as the team’s ace this season. It does accompany more confidence, which feeds his competitive nature. Don’t wager against him.

“I’ve always been confident in myself,” Offerman said. “I like to bet on myself over other people, so that was a key. I bet on myself over anyone else and know that I’m a better pitcher than they are hitter. Just keep competing every pitch.”

Beckman grabbed a lead in the first. Luke Schieltz drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Jackson Oberbroeckling groundout.

Anamosa answered in the top of the second. The bottom of the Blue Raiders batting order posted four straight singles, including Tysen Gravel’s opposite-field two-run single down the left line.

Offerman ended the threat and stymied Anamosa the rest of the way, allowing just two runners to second and none to third base in the remaining five innings. He also retired 10 straight batters between the fourth and seventh innings.

“The thing about Nate is no moment is too big for him,” Blazers first-year head coach Ryan Mabe said. “All the kids call him champ because he won (state) golf. That proved that moment wasn’t too big for him. He wants the ball in situations. We were really confident with him on the mound.”

Patience and discipline helped the Blazers take control in the third. They were selective and took advantage when Anamosa pitchers didn’t hit the strike zone. Beckman drew four bases on balls, including bases-loaded walks to Eli Kluesner and Jake Schmidt, to regain the lead. Dylan Recker followed with a two-run single to right.

“We were taking what he gave us,” Kluesner said. “It was an ugly win but a win is a win.”

Kluesner helped Beckman pull away in a three-run fifth. His flare into right field for a two-run single capped the scoring and put the Blazers up by six.

“I had two strikes and he was throwing a lot of two-strike curveballs,” said Kluesner, who had a game-high three RBIs. “I sat on a curveball. It wasn’t the best hit but we’ll take it.”

Beckman (22-9) earned its second straight state berth and 20th overall. This is the inaugural trip for Mabe as head coach. He played for the late Hall of Fame Beckman Coach Tom Jenk Jr. and served as an assistant to previous Blazers skipper Fred Martin.

“It’s the expectation,” Mabe said. “That was a goal of ours. It feels really good to reach that goal.”

“We had the team for it. It’s really the guys that do it. I’m just making a lineup. I’m just a guy in the box.”

Anamosa (19-13) closed one of the program’s best seasons. Dane Owen had two singles and Devin Brophy had a double to lead the Blue Raiders.

The Class 2A and 1A state tournament is July 17-21 at Merchants Park in Carroll.