Lisbon gets past state baseball tournament first round with ‘a really good team win’

CARROLL — The third time was the charm.

Lisbon made its third straight state baseball tournament appearance and finally earned that elusive victory.

Hunter Clark provided a gem on the mound, Luke Czarnecki drove in three runs and the No. 9 Lions advanced with a decisive 5-0 victory over No. 8 Burlington Notre Dame in a Class 1A quarterfinal game Monday at Merchants Park.

“About time,” Clark said about the Lions’ first state win in the last three trips. “It was a really good team win. We put the bat on the ball a lot today. We had guys at the bottom of the order come through huge. We scored runs when we needed to and made plays behind me. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”

The Lions (26-4) will face top-seed and No. 2-ranked Kingsley-Pierson (28-2) in Wednesday’s semifinal at 7 p.m.

This is a much better experience than the last two disappointments.

“It feels great to stay here,” said senior Landon Stolte, who had two hits and two runs. “We get to play another game in Carroll. It is awesome.”

Clark, who has started each of the state quarterfinals, was determined to escort the Lions deeper into the tournament this time. He recorded two postseason wins to get here and was superb against the Nikes. He allowed three hits and only four total baserunners in a complete-game shutout. He had three strikes but walked just one.

“I approach every team the same,” Clark said. “You have to throw strikes. You have to get outs. If they hit it, I have a good defense behind me to make plays. I trust them.”

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Clark retired the final nine batters. He still wasn’t hanging his hat on this win and finally getting to the semifinals. Clark was direct about how to handle this performance.

“It’s a good start,” Clark said. “A win is a win. We’re going to move past this one and then go into the semifinals ready to roll with Cohen (Kamaus) on the mound. We’re going to play good (defense) and hit the ball. Hopefully, get another win.”

Lisbon looked relaxed, confident and enthusiastic behind their ace. The Lions made highlight-reel plays on defense, like a sliding grab on a groundout by Alex Bock and a double play from third baseman Stolte to end a Nikes threat in the bottom of the first. They delivered clutch two-out hits, receiving an RBI single from Kaden Caspers in the three-run third.

Tesensky said it stemmed from Cohen Kamaus leading off the game with a double to left and scoring on a wild pitch for a 1-0 advantage and Clark peppering the strike zone. The Lions thrive in that scenario.

“When we can put up runs early and trust our defense, that is when we can play loose and relaxed,” Stolte said. “That’s when we play our best.”

Czarnecki was clutch for the Lions. He increased his RBI total to 29 this season, rapping a two-run triple down the right-field line and off the glove of a diving right fielder. Stolte and courtesy runner Wes Sadler came home, helping the Lions pad their lead. Czarnecki’s base hit in the fifth drove in Stolte again.

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“Finally decided to turn it on after the length of the playoffs,” Czarnecki said with a laugh. “I wasn’t sure if it was going to stay in or if he was going to catch it. I was hoping Landon would go because I was looking three the whole way.”

The Panthers await. They handled South Winneshiek, 6-1, to return to the semifinals for the second straight season.

“We have to look at it like just another opportunity,” Stolte said. “If we think about it like it’s bigger than it really is then we’re going to psych ourselves out. You have to keep a level head and play like you have been. It’s another opportunity to win.”

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