Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association Rankings: Cascade ascends to third in Class 2A poll

Cascade rose to the challenge of a tough week.

The Cougars have reaped the rewards of a four-game win streak, ascending the Class 2A state rankings.

After making its debut last week, Cascade jumped to third in the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association poll Monday. The Cougars won their fourth straight game Monday, beating previously ranked Anamosa, 6-0.

“We went through a gambit of teams,” Cascade Coach Roamn Hummel said after a 6-3 home victory over fifth-ranked rival Dyersville Beckman on Friday. “We didn’t play as well as we’re capable of and then I felt like last Tuesday we had a really good batting practice. We kind of changed some things and talked to them about approach. I thought it was good and carried over.”

The Cougars have faced current top-10 teams Beckman and Mid-Prairie, Anamosa twice, preseason No. 2 Jesup and Iowa City Regina in the last six games. They finished the stretch 4-2 after losing the first two games and avenging the loss to the Blue Raiders. Cascade is 10-2 overall and 7-1 to lead the River Valley Conference North Division.

“Our coaches talked us up,” Cascade’s Mason Otting said. “We figured out our mistakes. We fixed them and played well.”

Ty Frasher leads the Cougars offense with 16 hits, 12 RBIs and a .471 batting average. Cade Rausch has 12 hits, 10 RBIs and hits at a .333 clip.

Cascade also shut out eighth-ranked Mid-Prairie, 3-0. The Cougars have three shutouts with an impressive 1.36 team earned-run average, allowing just 15 earned runs and just 26 total. Freshman Cooper Hummel leads the way with a 4-0 mark. He has tallied 33 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings pitched and owns a 1.50 ERA. Jack Carr also has four wins with a 0.49 ERA, fanning 28 in as many innings. Sophomore D.J. Soper earned his first win against the Blazers and also pitched the first game against Anamosa.

“I love the environment of playing in these highly-anticipated, ranked baseball games,” Soper said. “I loved pitching against Beckman. I loved pitching in the Anamosa one because we were both in the top-15 and they were 10th.”

The top-ranked teams include Johnston (4A), Grinnell (3A), Van Meter (2A) and Remsen St. Mary’s in 1A.

Three Mississippi Valley Conference teams and three from the Wamac Conference are in the top 10 of 3A. Cedar Rapids Xavier is third and joined by No. 4 Dubuque Wahlert and No. 5 Western Dubuque from the MVC. The Wamac trio consists of seventh-ranked Clear Creek Amana, No. 8 Independence and No. 9 Marion, the defending 3A state champion.

Iowa City High and Cedar Rapids Prairie remained in the top 10 of 4A. The Little Hawks are sixth, while Prairie is ninth.

In 1A, Lansing Kee is up one spot to fourth. North Linn dropped two spots to fifth and Lisbon remains at No. 6. North Linn hosts Lisbon Thursday in Troy Mills. Sigourney moved up to ninth.

Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association Rankings

(June 13)

CLASS 4A

1. Johnston

2. Waukee

3. West Des Moines Dowling

4. Cedar Falls

5. Urbandale

6. Iowa City High

7. Waukee Northwest

8. Sioux City East

9. Cedar Rapids Prairie

10. Ankeny.

Others receiving votes: Ames, Indianola, Pleasant Valley, Southeast Polk, West Des Moines Valley.

CLASS 3A

1. Grinnell

2. Davenport Assumption

3. Cedar Rapids Xavier

4. Dubuque Wahlert

5. Western Dubuque

6. Council Bluffs Lewis Central

7. Clear Creek Amana

8. Independence

9. Marion

10. Gilbert

Others receiving votes: Adel ADM, Center Point-Urbana, North Polk, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, West Delaware.

CLASS 2A

1. Van Meter

2. Estherville-Lincoln Central

3. Cascade

4. Clarinda

5. Dyersville Beckman

6. Dike-New Hartford

7. Davis County

8. Mid-Prairie

9. West Marshall

10. Waterloo Columbus

Others receiving votes: Anamosa, Cherokee, Mediapolis, Monticello, Underwood.

CLASS 1A

1. Remsen St. Mary’s

2. Mason City Newman

3. New London

4. Lansing Kee

5. North Linn

6. Lisbon

7. Don Bosco

8. Ankeny Christian

9. Sigourney

10. Coon Rapids-Bayard

Others receiving votes: Anita CAM, Highland, Kingsley-Pierson, South Winneshiek, Tri-Center.