Linn-Mar gets groove back, shuts out Cedar Rapids Jefferson in substate baseball opener

MARION — The Linn-Mar baseball team needed a bit of a reset.

After going through a run of winning 19 of 20 games, the sixth-ranked Lions were coming into Friday's Class 4A Substate 6 first-round game against Cedar Rapids Jefferson on a bit of a downer, losers of three straight.

Coach Kyle Rodenkirk's team, at least on this night, looked like they were back in the groove.

The Lions took control early and never looked back, rolling to a 6-0 win over the J-Hawks at Oak Ridge Middle School.

Friday's win advances the top-seeded Lions (28-10) directly to Wednesday's 7 p.m. substate final. Linn-Mar, looking for its first state tournament berth since 2017, will host the winner of Monday’s 7 p.m. substate semifinal in Waukee between Ottumwa (30-10) and Waukee Northwest (24-14).

Jefferson closes its season at 3-33.

Rodenkirk said he was not really concerned with the brief slide entering tournament play.

“To go on the (win) streak we did, that was pretty historical, especially in the conference (Mississippi Valley) we play in,” he said. “I was really proud of the guys tonight. We had some good practices leading up to this.

“This group is very versatile. I mean, they don't get too high or too low. They know the task at hand. We've got some great leadership among our seniors. It's a fun group to coach.”

Senior Jackson Mishler echoed his coach's sentiments.

“We just came out here tonight and got back to what we know,” he said. “We just played the way we know we can and the way we've been playing all summer.”

The Lions scored in each of the first three innings, building a 6-0 lead. Mishler, who leads the team in runs batted in with 45, drove in a pair with a single in the first and a sacrifice fly in the second. Hayden Johnson had an RBI single to key a three-run third inning.

Senior Kaleb Martin (5-1) was sharp on the mound, allowing only one hit and one walk in five innings. Ian Anderson and Hunter Wildman each threw a perfect inning of relief, leaving Rodenkirk with a variety of pitching options for Wednesday's substate final.

For Mishler and the other Lion seniors, the game on Wednesday will be one final opportunity to play on their home field.

“It is survive and advance at this time of the season,” Mishler said. “We get to play more ball, have a few more days of practice and then have a game. It will be the last time for a lot of us to play on this field and this is what we have been playing for all year.”

Rodenkirk has taken several teams to the substate finals in his seven seasons at Linn-Mar. He has coached long enough to know how unpredictable prep baseball can be.

“Unfortunately, I have no control of how the game is going to be played,” Rodenkirk said. “When you were a player, you loved games like those. When you are coaching, it is a little more nerve-wracking. When it comes right down to it, this is just a game. It should be a fun environment on Wednesday.”

Linn-Mar 6, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 0

C.R. Jefferson 000 000 0 - 0 1 2

Linn-Mar 213 000 x - 6 6 0

Aiden Mitts, Parker Chyma (3) and Andrew Wulff, Ty Kuennen (6). Kaleb Martin, Ian Anderson (6), Hunter Wildman (7) and Austin Andersen WP - Martin (5-1). LP - Mitts (0-1)