Iowa high school state baseball 2024: Thursday’s roundup with scores, stats and more

The Iowa high school state baseball tournament semifinal round concluded Thursday with Class 4A games in Cedar Rapids and Class 2A games in Carroll. Find all the scores, stats and area coverage below.

Iowa high school state baseball coverage

» 4A semifinals: Ty Donels’ homer is the final twist in Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s wild win over Johnston

» 4A semifinals: West Des Moines Dowling ends Iowa City High’s season again

» Brackets: Updated, pairings, schedules and scores for all 4 classes

» Hlas column: Cedar Rapids feels like a good home for the 3A and 4A tourneys

Thursday’s Iowa high school state baseball tournament scores

CLASS 4A SEMIFINALS (CEDAR RAPIDS)

No. 1 Cedar Rapids Kennedy 8, No. 4 Johnston 7

Ty Donels deserves a cape. He played the role of hero when Cedar Rapids Kennedy needed it most.

Donels’ two-out, 332-foot blast in the bottom of the seventh bounced in the picnic area beyond the left-field wall, capping top-ranked Kennedy’s 8-7 victory over No. 4 Johnston. It was the sophomore leadoff hitter’s third home run of the season.

The Dragons’ two-year championship streak and a five-year stretch of advancing to the finals were snapped.

The Cougars seemed in control with a 7-1 lead, but Johnston (34-6) rallied for six in the top of the seventh with the help of a dropped flyball that allowed the tying run to score.

Kennedy is the first Mississippi Valley Conference team to reach the 4A final since Cedar Rapids Washington in 2018.

— K.J. Pilcher

» Game story | Photo gallery | Box score

West Des Moines Dowling 5, No. 3 Iowa City High 1

For the second time in three years, an outstanding City High season came to an end in the semifinals of the Class 4A state tournament thanks to Dowling.

“They came out of nowhere this year,” said City High Coach Brian Mitchell. “We felt like we were in a good position here before. It was very reminiscent of that. All of a sudden, you think you have what you want on the mound. It just didn’t work out for us.

“They just executed better than we did.

Senior right-hander Cole Southard gave up just five hits, all singles, against the Little Hawks, striking out eight.

“I felt like I just wanted to go after them,” said Southard. “Just show them what I can do. I mean, I know that I’m better than anyone I pitch against when I’m on my ‘A’ game. I was just trying to fill it hole and have my guys make plays behind me. It all worked out.”

Southard’s teammates gave him more than enough offensive support, too. Dowling scored two runs on four hits in the second inning and added three more runs in the fourth, collecting for more hits, knocking out City High starting pitcher Talon Young, who had just a 1.38 earned run average coming in and who had by far the most innings pitched for the Little Hawks this season.

Every Maroon in the lineup reached base in the game via either hit, walk or hit batter. Seven of the nine guys had at least one hit.

— Jeff Johnson

» Game story | Photo gallery | Box score

CLASS 2A SEMIFINALS (CARROLL)

No. 3 Underwood 8, Chariton 7

Underwood (29-2) overcame a five-run first-inning deficit to return to the Class 2A title game after finishing runner-up last season.

Chariton (25-5) scored on a balk and a walk in the top of the first, plus a two-out, two-run double from No. 9 hitter Keagan Evans. Four of its first five runs were unearned.

Underwood (29-2) rallied to tie it at 7-7 with a five-hit, five-run fifth, then Mason Boothby led off the sixth with a walk, stole second and scored on Ryker Adair’s one-out base hit.

Kasyn Paige doubled to begin the seventh for the Chargers and Connor Shore drew a one-out walk, but Boothby got a strikeout and flyout to end it. He pitched 6 1/3 innings of relief.

» Box score

No. 6 New Hampton 7, No. 8 Sumner-Fredericksburg 3

New Hampton (29-6) scored seven runs in the third inning to advance to the state finals for the first time. The Chickasaws’ quarterfinal win Tuesday was their first victory in their third state baseball tournament appearance, all since 2019.

Sumner-Fredericksburg (24-5) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second, then New Hampton produced seven hits in the decisive third, including five straight singles to begin the frame.

Leadoff hiter Jaxon Eckley was 3-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Braden McShane pitched four hitless innings of relief.

» Box score