Sweltering heat doesn’t stop Martensdale-St Marys in Class 1A semifinal

CARROLL – For two consecutive innings, Hillcrest Academy’s offense was as hot of the sweltering summer temperatures that pushed the heat index above 100 degrees.

Once the Ravens cooled down, Martensdale-St Marys caught fire.

The fourth-seeded Blue Devils scorched Hillcrest for 11 runs in the fourth inning and recorded an 18-8 victory in six innings of the Class 1A high school baseball state semifinal at Scott Parcher Field of Merchants Park. MSM will face the winner of East Buchanan and Saint Ansgar in the championship game Friday at 5 p.m.

Hillcrest appeared to be in control and poised for their second straight upset, beating No. 1 Remsen St. Mary’s in the quarterfinal. The Ravens led, 8-2, after three innings, but the Blue Devils began to chip away with a three-run fourth, including two runs off an error.

MSM stole the momentum in the fifth, sending 15 batters to the plate, tallying eight hits and capitalizing on two errors. Thirteen batters reached base with 11 straight after Owen Fitzpatrick’s RBI groundout to score Jack Gavin.

Trey Wight had an RBI single and a two-run double in his second at-bat, Brady Baker had a two-run base hit and Fitzpatrick added a two-run single in his next plate appearance that inning.

The Blue Devils capped the game with two in the sixth, receiving an RBI single from Jason Fugate to enact the mercy rule.

Hillcrest grabbed a 3-2 lead in the second, responding to the Blue Devils’ two-run first inning. Mason Helmuth sparked the rally with a leadoff double that bounced over the left field fence. Lincoln Miller added a two-out single to advance Helmuth, who scored on Rylan Good’s sacrifice fly to left field.

Seth Ours smacked his second hit in two at-bats, driving in Miller and Phoenix Anderson, who reached on a walk.

The Ravens followed with an even bigger third to pull away, sending 10 batters to the plate. Liam Schrock led off with a triple to right center and scored on Helmuth’s RBI single on the next at-bat. Miller and Good added their second RBIs in consecutive innings.

Two walks, a hit batsman and Mason Bender’s fielder’s choice brought in two more runs for an 8-2 advantage through 2 1/2 innings.

Cale Morrow came in to pitch 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit and shutting down the Ravens offense.

MSM (32-5) amassed 17 total hits. Wight had four hits and three RBIs. Baker, Colton Wight and Fitzpatrick had three RBIs apiece for the Blue Devils.

Ours, Schrock and Helmuth each had two hits to pace the Ravens. Ours added two RBIs, while Rylan Good drove in two.

Hillcrest ends the season 18-8 and made its first state appearance since Iowa Mennonite made back-to-back trips in 2007 and 2008.

Comments: k.j.pilcher@thegazette.com