West blanks Kennedy behind Austin Miller’s complete game

CEDAR RAPIDS - What started with the makings of a pitching duel ended with No. 3 Iowa City West shutting out No. 10 Cedar Rapids Kennedy 7-0 in game one of a doubleheader Friday.

Buoyed by a four-run fifth inning, Trojan pitcher Austin Miller stretched himself the final three innings to record his first shutout of the year.

The Trojans (16-4) added two runs in the top of the sixth and one in the top of the seventh to to take a commanding lead.

Miller, who had only about 50 pitches through six innings, took the mound for the seventh. The lead off and second runner got on base before Miller induced a fly out from Kennedy's Anthony Alepra and struck Bryce Church out swinging. After walking Derek Girling, Miller got Parker Kalb to fly out to end the first game.

'That's the first goose egg we've had all season,” Miller said. 'You've got to like that.”

Miller threw three perfect innings as both he and Alepra appeared prime to make the game into a duel, but Matthew Berst rounded first with a lead off single to start the fourth. No Kennedy runner made it to third until the seventh inning. Trojans head coach Charlie Stumpff said the pitching performance was exactly what the they needed with a short bullpen.

'It all started with (Miller) and the defense,” Stumpff said. 'We're kind of vulnerable in relief, and you know, you're playing a top 10 team ... we've had many, many battles with, and we know it's going to be a game. Austin did really good work.”

Kennedy (13-6) posted three errors in the first game, including two in the fifth inning, opening the gates for the Trojans' four runs.

Oliver Martin knocked in two RBIs on a single in the sixth to put the game effectively out of reach.

'When there's guys on the base I just try and get the bat on the ball so they can try to get some runs in,” Martin said.

The Trojans won the second game 6-5 after Izaya Ono-Fullard stole second, allowing Logan Sims to steal home on an errant throw.