Blazing hot bats spark Dyersville Beckman in decisive win over West Lyon in Class 2A state baseball semifinal

CARROLL — Drew Thier recalled returning from vacation in South Dakota and listening to the radio as Dyersville Beckman won its last state baseball title.

Nate Offerman didn’t attend the final because he was playing in his own youth tournament, but his family kept tabs on that 2017 championship performance.

Now, they will be present for their own opportunity to add to the Blazers’ championship legacy.

No. 3 Beckman blitzed and battered four West Lyon pitchers for 11 hits and continued to stockpile runs after a big five-run first, posting an 11-2 victory in a Class 2A state baseball semifinal Thursday night at Merchants Park.

“It feels amazing hearing it over and over again,” Offerman said. “I just know if we bring the confidence and we’re on stuff like we were today I don’t think we will have a problem. We just have to bring energy.”

The Blazers (24-9) will make their 14th state finals appearance and attempt to win their seventh title Friday against No. 5 Underwood (25-3), beginning at 2:30 p.m.

“We talked about it,” said Beckman first-year head coach Ryan Mabe, who was a former Blazer player and assistant. “At the beginning of the season, our goals were to win the conference, get to state and once you get here it’s kind of a crapshoot.

“Class 2A is all about depth. We have the depth for it.”

Mabe said the Blazers had a positive demeanor from the moment they loaded the school bus at 9 a.m. for the road trip back to Carroll. They transferred that to a loose, aggressive and energetic brand of baseball.

“We were together all day,” Mabe said. “They were loose as can be. I could just tell there was a lot of confidence in them. I knew we were going to score runs. They were having fun and ready to go.”

The result was more comfortable and much different than the extra-inning quarterfinal thriller against Pella Christian, even though West Lyon jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.

Beckman responded immediately, sending 10 batters to the plate with half circling the bases. The Blazers managed three hits and capitalized on three errors.

Offerman had an RBI single to score Luke Schieltz, who provided the initial spark with a leadoff base hit. Jackson Oberbroeckling’s fielder’s choice that resulted in an error chased home Offerman. Jake Schmidt drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Thier added a two-run hit that plated Oberbroeckling and Eli Kluesner.

“We just hit the ball early,” said Schmidt, who had a hit and an RBI. “When we do that, we’re a dangerous team.

“The ball kept finding holes. We just put the defense to work.”

The rout was on and unstoppable. Beckman continued to add to its lead, scoring two in the second, followed by a three-run frame for a 10-2 edge through three innings.

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Photos: Dyersville Beckman vs. West Lyon in state baseball semifinals

Offerman and Matt Florence had RBI singles in the second. Thier led off the next inning with a walk and scored on an Offerman sacrifice fly. Schieltz and Luke Sigwarth also scored.

“We feed off each other,” said Their, who pitched five innings of two-hit, scoreless relief. “As soon as something goes right, all we need is one little spark to get us going. I’m super proud of the guys.”

Offerman went 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Schieltz also had three hits, while Florence, Schmidt and Thier each drove in two runs. West Lyon committed five errors.

“We put a lot of pressure on them,” Mabe said. “There were a lot of hard hit balls. We had guys moving around, thinking about two and putting pressure on them with traffic on the bases.”

The top-seeded Blazers face No. 2-seeded Eagles, who advanced with a 3-1 victory over Cascade. Friday will mark the final games for nine Beckman seniors, including Offerman, who will set aside aluminum bats and focus on crooked sticks in college.

“Tomorrow is going to be my last baseball game ever,” said Offerman, a state champion golfer who will play for defending NJCAA national champion Kirkwood. “It’s done tomorrow. I’m not going to have an ounce of energy after that game. I’m going to give everything I’ve got.”

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com