Big first inning propels No. 2 Kingsley-Pierson past South Winneshiek in the Class 1A state baseball tournament

CARROLL — South Winneshiek fell in an early hole.

Unfortunately, it was a little too deep to climb to the top.

Top-seeded Kingsley-Pierson capitalized on a few miscues, added a timely hit and posted five runs in the first inning, coasting to a 6-1 victory over the Warriors in a Class 1A state baseball quarterfinal Monday at Merchants Park. The Panthers (28-2) advance to Wednesday’s semifinals against either Lisbon or Burlington Notre Dame.

The Warriors used a five-run first inning in their substate final win over North Linn. The Panthers flipped the script and it was too much to overcome.

“Two different games,” South Winn Coach Alex Smith said about the substate final and state quarterfinal. “It kind of spiraled out of control that first inning. Obviously, defensively we weren’t making plays. They came up with a couple big hits as well.

“To our credit, our guys settled in. To give up a bunch of zeroes and one run the rest of the way to give ourselves a chance. We got guys on base and scored a run. I felt like we competed to the very end.”

Things started well with the Warriors getting two outs through four batters. They found it difficult to get the final out, making two fielding errors, an errant throw and a wild pitch that resulted in runs. Beau Goodwin had one of two Panther hits in the frame, hitting an RBI triple just out of the reach of a diving left fielder.

“I could say a little bit of both,” South Winneshiek senior Jamie Kuennen said. “There were a little nerves from everyone, coming out. I guess it’s just the way the ball bounces sometimes.

“We stayed in the game, though, which is good. We would have just rolled over and died after a five-run inning, but we didn’t.”

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State baseball photos: Kingsley-Pierson vs. South Winneshiek

Kingsley-Pierson starter Evan Neumann worked 5 1/3 innings for the win. The outburst was exactly what he needed. Neumann and reliever Conner Beelner limited the Warriors to two hits — bunt singles from Keagen and Carson Streeter.

“It was huge,” Neumann said. “As a pitcher, you look forward to getting early runs and that’s what we did. It boosts your confidence and freedom to throw whatever you want.”

The two teams exchanged runs the rest of the way. The Panthers’ run in the fifth was also unearned.

Kuennen pitched five innings of relief, scattering six hits and keeping the Warriors in the game. Smith said Kuennen changed speeds and kept Kingsley-Pierson off balance to be effective.

“We got a big double play, played great defense behind him and just settled in,” Smith said. “It’s about finding that calmness factor. Keagen was throwing well enough, but I thought we needed a change of pace in the second inning to mix it up.”

South Winneshiek closed its season at 24-12 and having reached the state tournament for the second straight season and fourth time since the seniors stepped into the program as eighth graders. They produced a heck of a run.

“These guys are a special group to me, especially with my brother on the team,” senior Keagen Streeter said. “Being underdogs through substate, it was a good battle.

“I think it’s one of the greatest things our school has done in the past five years.”

Players and coaches milled around a grass knoll behind their third-base dugout. They exchanged hugs and some were visibly emotional. The Warriors say goodbye to an accomplished group of seniors.

“It’s tough because so many of them are great friends,” Kuennen said. “If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would. Just one more game with them.”