Cael Bridgewater’s quality start propelled Class 1A No. 6 North Linn past 2A No. 7 Cascade

CEDAR RAPIDS – North Linn’s Cael Bridgewater laughed at the notion he served as the team’s Swiss Army Knife.

He dismissively said “on some nights” he feels like the tool used to do various tasks. Lynx Coach Travis Griffith relies on him to do a little of everything – roam the outfield, toe the rubber, leadoff the batting order and spark the offense with his speed.

“It’s what we push here,” Bridgewater said. “We do everything and that’s what coach has asked me to do for the team and that’s what I’m doing. Just going out and giving my best.

“Everybody on our team is this way. Do whatever he tells us to do. You’ll do it.”

Bridgewater tossed a gem with the Lynx short on pitchers and in desperate need for him to eat up innings. He went 6 1/3 innings and propelled Class 1A sixth-ranked North Linn to an 8-3 prep baseball victory over 2A No. 7 Cascade Tuesday afternoon at Mount Mercy’s Plaster Athletic Complex.

Bridgewater improved to 3-0 this season, allowing just two earned runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts. Mason Bechen recorded the last two in relief.

“The two-seam fastball was hitting good and just locating pitches,” said Bridgewater, who leads the team with 20 1/3 innings pitched. “I did better today than I have all year. It really showed out there. I missed one or two but overall, it was a good day. A good defense behind me really helped.”

Griffith said recent injuries to starters Corbin Woods and Levi Benesh left the Lynx short-handed for the ranked matchup and forced three eighth-graders into the starting. He went to experienced players like Bridgewater and Bechen to lead the way.

“We were behind the 8-ball today,” Griffith said. “We pretty much said you guys have to gut it out and give us everything you can. They just knew if they got behind, they had to stay in. You’re on a tight pitch count because you only get 110 and do the best you can.”

Bridgewater helped spark the Lynx offensively. He led off the four-run first with an infield single, moved to second on a walk to Ben Wheatley and scored on Bechen’s double. Cael Benesh added an RBI groundout, Cole Griffith executed a squeeze to bring in Bechen and Jake Van Etten closed the early rally with an RBI single.

Bridgewater finished 2-for-4 with a run. He leads the Lynx with 21 hits and 18 runs after the win over the Cougars.

“He gets us going in the first inning,” Griffith said. “That is what he has done his entire career.

“That’s the type of leadership you’re going to need if you’re going to be any good at all. We had three eighth graders out there today that didn’t even know they were going to be playing until we took batting practice.”

Cascade trimmed the deficit to 4-3 after the fourth inning. Jack Menster tripled to drive in Cass Hoffman and scored on a Cade Rausch sacrifice fly in the two-run third. In the fourth, Mason Otting reached on a dropped third strike, advancing to third on a wild pitch and balk. Jase Reinke followed with a two-out RBI single.

North Linn responded Benesh doubled to score Bechen. Courtesy runner Nolan Woods scored on a balk. To make it 6-3.

The Lynx added insurance runs in the seventh, receiving an RBI triple from the younger Griffith and another Van Etten run-scoring base hit. Van Etten led the way with three hits and matched Benesh and Griffith with two RBIs.

“The kids showed some grit today,” Griffith said. “It all starts with Bridgewater on the mound, by far.

“There were some big guys that came through in the clutch. Different guys stepped up.”

Reinke and Otting each had two hits to pace Cascade.