Regina’s approach leads to state baseball semifinals

DES MOINES — Iowa City Regina Coach Jeff Pacha has a simple formula.

The Regals don't worry about the past or what lies ahead. Instead, they focus on what is immediately in front of them. The 'pitch-by-pitch' has proved effective again.

'I think the biggest thing we have going is understanding to stay in the moment and not take any pitch or inning for granted,' Pacha said. 'Just go out and compete to the best of our ability.'

Left-hander Ryne Schooley threw a complete game and Mitch Gahan drove in three runs, leading fourth-seeded Regina to a 5-0 victory over No. 5 Treynor in the Class 2A state baseball quarterfinals Monday at Principal Park.

The Regals won their ninth straight game and 14 of the last 15. More impressive, Regina earned its first state win since 1994.

'It means a lot,' Gahan said. 'It feels good to be part of it.'

Schooley helped deliver the Regals into the semifinals for the first time since that runner-up finish 23 years ago. Schooley, 17, was born five years after that win.

'It's awesome,' Schooley said. 'It's a good feeling.

'We're taking it day by day. We're not looking back (or) into the future. We're in the present, working and getting ready to go.'

Schooley dominated Treynor, scattering four hits and striking out seven. He didn't allow one runner to reach third base, improving to 7-1 this season.

'Ryne did a really nice job,' Pacha said. 'A couple hitters' counts that he didn't just give in. It would have been really easy for him to lay something over the plate and they would have put some damage on it, if he did that. He continued to hit spots, even on hitters' counts.'

Schooley only dealt with multiple runners on at the same time in the sixth inning after the Regals owned a 5-0 edge. In the two instances Treynor produced leadoff singles, a runner was caught stealing off Schooley's pickoff move in the fifth, and Gahan snared a hard-hit grounder in the seventh to start a double play.

'At first, it was just a fastball,' Schooley said. 'I had to get that breaking ball over. Once I started getting that going it really helped. The defense behind me really helped, too. They were really solid.'

Gahan did more damage with his legs and bat in the middle of the game. He helped Regina get on the board in the two-run second. He led off with a walk and stole second base. He scored on a throwing error to third after Hunter Lieberman reached on a sacrifice bunt. Lieberman scored on Nick Brandt's single.

Gahan came through at the plate the next inning. His single to center brought in Blake Berns, who tripled to left field for a 3-0 lead. Gahan also had a two-run single in the fifth to cap the scoring.

'I like to have a little pressure,' Gahan said. 'It gets the blood going. I know what I can do and I tried to accomplish it at the plate.'

Gahan and Trent Hoogerwerf had two hits apiece to lead Regina. Gahan said he worked on keeping his hands behind the ball during batting practice. He transferred that to his approach in the batters' box.

Pacha said the bottom of the order has produced runs for most of the postseason. Gahan, the Regals' No. 6 hitter, played a big part.

'We've been talking all year about timely hitting, being able to stay short,' Pacha said. 'With less than two outs, you don't have to hit a home run to score those runs, you just have to put the barrel on it and hit it hard somewhere up the middle (or) the other way, and we score the runs.'

Justin Cox had two hits to lead Treynor (32-5).

Regina (28-7) will face top-seeded Dyersville Beckman (30-11) in Thursday's semifinal, starting at 5 p.m. They will keep the same energy and perspective that led to this round.

'This is a group where these juniors have been starting since they were freshmen,' Pacha said. 'They've been in situations together and played a lot of games together, so we're trying not to take any moment for granted. Staying pitch-to-pitch is the best way to do that.'

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