Iowa high school baseball notes: Marion’s Steve Fish joins 800-win club

Steve Fish became a coach for the impact on others, not personal recognition.

He entered the profession with goals of helping student athletes reach their potential and be their best. Through 35 years of coaching baseball, Fish has experienced his own milestones.

Fish claimed his 800th career victory when the Class 3A No. 5 Wolves swept Mount Vernon, 9-2 and 7-2, last Thursday at Cornell’s Ash Park. Marion is 13-4, giving Fish 801 total wins. He is the 14th coach to reach the 800-win plateau, coaching strictly high school.

“You don’t get into this for those reasons, obviously,” Fish said while taking a break from dragging Marion’s diamond Wednesday. “It’s big. It makes you reflect on how fortunate I’ve been to be able to do something that I love doing.

“No. 1, my family has supported me all these years.”

Fish joins Iowa City West’s Charlie Stumpff (852) and Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Bret Hoyer (836) in the 800-win club. Coon Rapids-Bayard’s John Waddle surpassed 800 wins earlier this season, sitting at 813 total. Texts, calls and social media messages rolled in to congratulate Fish.

“The best part of the milestone is hearing from former players,” Fish said. “That was cool.

“It also means I’m getting old.”

Fish coached his sons — Byron, B.J. and Baylor — in baseball and helped coach his daughter, Brittany, in basketball. His wife, Vickie, has been a constant supporter during his career.

He was able to share the accomplishment with Baylor, who returned from graduate studies to be a Marion assistant again.

“That means a lot to me,” said Fish, adding, “I owe my family. They know I love it.”

After more than 1,200 games as a head coach, Fish still labors over results. He will delay going to bed after games, dissecting what he could have done better for the players to succeed. He is still energized by the players’ feats, like Lawson Berndt against Benton Community.

A managerial mistake forced Fish to change pitchers with runners on first and third in the top of the 12th. Berndt came in to get an inning-ending fly out and delivered the game-winning base hit in the bottom half for a 7-6 victory.

“That stuff makes my heart warm,” Fish said. “I love it when that happens.”

In addition to Fish’s recent milestone, Solon Coach Keith McSweeney is nearing another win plateau. The Spartans are 13-9 this season, giving McSweeney 594 career victories.

Linn-Mar Coach Kyle Rodenkirk reached 250 career wins in a doubleheader sweep over Cedar Rapids Jefferson on Monday at Oak Ridge Middle School. The Lions won 16-6 and 1-0 over Rodenkirk’s alma Mater and the program he coached for five seasons. Rodenkirk won 116 games with the J-Hawks, taking over Linn-Mar in 2018.

Regina splits with No. 2 Mid-Prairie

Iowa City Regina has experienced an up-and-down season. The Regals were 10-11 before Wednesday’s game against Burlington Notre Dame. They own some notable victories, including a 4-3 win over Class 2A No. 2 Mid-Prairie in a doubleheader split Monday at home.

Regina won in dramatic fashion, receiving a two-out solo home run from Jack Tierney for the upset. It was the team’s first home run of the season. The Regals actually trailed 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three to tie the game and setting up the late heroics. Tierney is hitting .412 and leads the team with 17 RBIs.

Mid-Prairie won the nightcap, 6-3. Regina also has a win over 1A No. 9 Lisbon (14-4) this season.

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