Waukee wins state baseball pitchers’ duel over Cedar Rapids Prairie

DES MOINES — Cedar Rapids Prairie knows what it is like to be on the winning end of a pitchers' duel.

Last year's state title run opened with a 1-0 victory. Unfortunately for the Hawks, they found themselves on the other end of a similar decision.

Fifth-seeded Waukee received a two-hit shutout from Drew Irvine and the Warriors ended No. 4 Prairie's title defense with a 1-0 win in the Class 4A state baseball quarterfinals Wednesday at Principal Park. The Warriors (29-13) avenged a one-run semifinal loss to the Hawks a year ago.

Irvine and Casey Day matched complete games.

'This one is going to sting for a little bit, but what a game,' Prairie Coach Todd Rima said. 'Two kids out there throwing their butts off in the first round. What else can you ask for?

'I thought Casey was unbelievable for us. I thought Irvine was outstanding. Those two kids have bright futures. It was fun to watch those two kids compete.'

Prairie seemed poised for a rally in the seventh with a leadoff walk by Matt Lorenz. Irvine and the Warriors shut things down, forcing a hard-hit grounder to third baseman Dillon Flynn that started a double play. Irvine ended the game with another groundout.

'That was awesome,' Irvine said. 'Hell of a play by Flynn out there. Awesome. Awesome play.'

The game hinged on half-innings where Waukee managed to push across its run in the fifth and Prairie couldn't.

Catcher Bubba Woods started a two-out rally with a base hit. In a very close play at second, courtesy runner Nolan Roethler was called safe at second after T.J. Johnson made a nice backhanded grab on Flynn's grounder and threw to the base for the inning-ending force.

Calvin Smith loaded the bases with a single. Fischer Henderson looked at four straight pitches and walked, bringing in Roethler.

'I thought T.J. made a great play with the ball at second base,' Rima said. 'That extended their inning. They found a way to score.'

The Hawks' best chance to score before the seventh came in the third inning. Hunter Whinery reached on an error and moved to second on Logan Burg's base hit to left. The timely hit eluded Prairie, following with a force out and a fly out to end the threat with two runners in scoring position.

'I thought that was a big, big difference in the game,' Rima said. 'They made a couple big plays there and they kind of pieced together an inning.'

Irvine (9-2) struck out five, walked one and hit one batter, allowing just five base runners. He retired the Hawks in order in the first, second and sixth innings. Only one Prairie runner reached third.

'Just going out there for a win,' Irvine said. 'It was a heck of a team effort by our guys.'

Irvine had only walked three batters in 61 innings pitched entering the state tournament. The Hawks knew he would be in the strike zone and tried to be aggressive at the plate.

'He didn't walk very many of us, so when the pitch was there we had to swing,' Usher said. 'He made us ground out a lot. We really didn't make much solid contact.'

The loss spoiled another strong postseason performance by Day, who earned the victory in a substate final win over No. No. 7 Southeast Polk. The Hawks' junior right-hander also pitched a complete game against Cedar Rapids Kennedy to open the playoffs.

Day (7-2) also struck out five and walked one. He praised his teammates.

'It wasn't really me,' Day said. 'When I put the ball in the zone, they usually hit it. My fielders have been great for me all year. (Catcher) Griff (Clark) worked super hard back there. I can't take credit for that. (Prairie assistant Casey) Pauli calls the pitches.'

Prairie closed winning 15 of its last 18 games and turned around a slow start. A blowout home loss to state qualifier Cedar Rapids Washington led to the second-half resurgence.

'There is just no quit in the team,' Day said. 'We didn't know how to quit. It's a shame it had to end early, but this is a great team.'

The Hawks finished 29-13, returning to state for the second straight year and earning the program's third state berth. They return a lot of talent from this year's team, including some key arms and bats.

'It was good that we got back down here,' Usher said. 'Hopefully, we get back here next year, but it was good to build on. There is definitely motivation for next year. We want more than we got in the last game.

'We have a lot of talent coming back. We'll have about the same pitching. … We'll have our power back.'

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