Quality start from Brayden Mayer helps Iowa City Liberty split high school baseball doubleheader with Cedar Rapids Xavier

CEDAR RAPIDS — Iowa City Liberty’s Brayden Mayer competed more like a pitcher than a thrower.

The senior right-hander altered his approach, taking the advice his dad offered during lunch. The message focused on tossing more strikes instead of worrying about velocity.

The strategy paid dividends. Mayer posted his best start of the season, giving up only four hits in six scoreless innings, helping the Class 4A 10th-ranked Lightning to a 3-1 win over Cedar Rapids Xavier in a Mississippi Valley Conference baseball doubleheader at Bob Erusha Field. The Saints won the opener, 6-1, for a split.

“In my past starts this year, I usually was trying to blow it by everyone,” Mayer said. “I didn't really do that today. I was just trying to be efficient, pitch to contact, let them hit it and let my fielders make plays which they did (Friday). Props to them for that.”

Mayer (2-1) was effective from the start, retiring the Saints in order in the first. He didn’t allow a baserunner to reach third base. When Xavier placed multiple runners on base, the Lightning’s middle infield turned double plays in the second and fifth innings.

“It just kind of clicked (Friday) and I didn't really try to throw very hard on the mound,” said Mayer, who struck out two. “There were a couple times where I did when I needed a strikeout, but other than that it was pretty much just throw down the middle, let them hit it and let my players make plays.”

Lightning Coach Uby Martinez said Mayer hadn’t been as efficient. Mayer have taken a page from Liberty all-state ace Mason Waterbury, trading maximum speed for accuracy and control.

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“He and Mason are real close and that's rubbed off on him,” Martinez said. “He was throwing three pitches for strikes. He wasn't trying to blow by anybody and that was huge for us.”

Martinez recalled a text from Mayer at the beginning of the season. Mayer asked to be pushed harder than anyone else on the team, demonstrating his growth and passion for baseball.

“I think the biggest thing is his leadership,” Martinez said. “He’s a leader in the weight room. He's put on a lot of muscle and he's had so many extra-base hits and I attribute it to that. He's worked hard in the cages and stuff.

“Just his mindset and his maturity and his leadership have been the biggest thing for us.”

Liberty provided him with support in the second and two-run fourth. Waterbury was hit by a pitch and scored on Jordan Schroeder’s sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. Reece Rettig smacked a two-run double, chasing home Waterbury and Dallas Miller and expanding the lead to three.

Xavier scored a run in the seventh when Zander Murray singled off reliever Jaryn Sertterh, stole second and reached home on a wild pitch. Sertterh thwarted a late rally with the tying run at the plate and earned the save.

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The Saints’ Cohen Honkomp produced his own quality start. He pitched a complete game, surrendering one run on six hits. Honkomp routinely started ahead in the count and that allowed him limit his pitch count and go deep into the game.

“Cohen was great,” Halter said. “That's back-to-back starts for him now being really lights out. He's filling it up. I think two walks only, and that's the key for us — filling up the strike zone and letting the defense work. The defense made some good plays behind him.”

Xavier’s Caleb Loffswold went 2-for-2 and drove in four runs, while Max Dougherty and Sam Schimberg added RBIs in the three-run third. Andrew Renner scored twice for the Saints.

Liberty moved to 13-5 overall and 10-4 in the MVC, leading the Mississippi Division. Xavier moved to 11-8 and 8-8. Cedar Rapids Kennedy, which split with Liberty on Monday, is between the two atop the division.

“If you walk away with the split, you're like, ‘Wow, that's awesome.’ If you get swept, you're not surprised. And if you sweep somebody, you're like that's amazing,” Martinez said. “That's just how our conference is. There's so much parity in it and that's what makes it fun.

“I enjoy coaching in this conference because every game you have to bring it,”

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