By Becky Walz,
Ethan Holthaus winds up for a pitch in a recent Decorah home game. Friday, the senior was one of three Vikings on the hill against Mason City. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Becky Walz)
Following one bad night Friday in Mason City, the Decorah baseball team (6-1, 4-0 NEIC) put two more tallies in the win column Tuesday, sweeping Waukon on the road.
Alstad hits cycle
Multi-inning hitting explosions in the doubleheader Tuesday handed the Vikes a pair of wins over Waukon (3-4, 1-3 NEIC), 14-10 and 14-9.
“Our offensive approach with our hitting and baserunning was absolutely outstanding and was extremely important in us coming home with two wins. Throughout the night our pitchers continued to make many solid pitches after our defense put them in difficult situations. Our defense will improve when we approach the discipline of throwing and catching the baseball with the same confidence we had throughout the games tonight at the plate and on the basepaths,” said Coach Adam Riley.
Hitting was the key, with the Vikes knocking out 13. In game one, Decorah collected 13 hits, including a two-run homer in the first inning by Fisher Tweten and a second two-run shot over the fence by Caleb Meyer in the sixth. However, the highlight of the night was in game two as sophomore Kaden Alstad hit the cycle with a single in the first, home run in the second, double in the fifth and a triple in the sixth. Along with his hitting, Alstad drove in six runs for the Vikes.
On the hill it was Brady Bohner and Landon Kuennen on the hill in game one, while Tweten, Holthaus and Alstad threw in game two.
Dec 4 2 3 3 0 2 0 14 13 5
Wauk 3 2 1 0 0 4 0 10 10 2
Brady Bohner (WP) – 5IP, 6R, 7H, 3BB, 3K; Landon Kuennen (RP) – 2IP, 4R, 3H, 1BB
HR – Caleb Meyer 1; Fisher Tweten 1; 2B – Ben Wymer 1; Kelley Gates 1; Casey Brickley 1; Ethan Holthaus 1; 1B – Holthaus 2; Meyer 2; Brayden Hartl 1; Kaden Alstad 1; Wymer 1; RBI – Meyer 4; Holthaus 3; Hartl 2; Gates 2; Tweten 2; Alstad 1
Dec 3 4 0 3 0 2 2 14 17 6
Wauk 3 0 5 0 1 0 0 9 14 3
Tweten (WP) – 4IP, 8R, 9H, 2BB, 2K; Holthaus (RP) – 1IP, 1H, 1BB; Alstad (RP) – 2IP, 1R, 2H, 1BB, 3K
HR – Alstad 1; 3B – Alstad 1; 2B – Holthaus 2; Alstad 1; Mason Avila 1; 1B – Holthaus 2; Wymer 2; Hartl 1; Alstad 1; Meyer 1; Gates 1; Tweten 1; Brickley 1; Avila 1; RBI – Alstad 6; Holthaus 2; Tweten 2; Brickley 2; Avila 2; SB – Holthaus 1; Cade Olson 1
Bad night Friday
Going on the road Friday, the Vikes fell in a non-conference battle to Class 4A Mason City (8-0), 6-2.
Decorah put up the first two runs of the game after Holthaus and Alstad were issued walks by the Riverhawk pitcher in the opening frame. A single by Caleb Meyer and an error pushed the Vikes’ lone runs of the game across home plate. Mason City put up one in the bottom of the first, fourth and fifth innings to go with a three-run sixth.
Alstad, Holthaus and Landon Kuennen all took the mound, giving up a combined eight hits and striking out nine.
“The process and preparation to get ready for this game by the team was excellent and showed early in this game with some great pitching. However, as the game wore on, offensively we executed poorly with poor mental focus in our at bats late in the game. We will grow from the opportunity to play a quality Mason City opponent,” said Coach Adam Riley.
Dec 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 4
MC 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 6 8 2
Kaden Alstad (LP) – 5IP, 4R, 5H, 1BB, 8K; Ethan Holthaus (RP) – 1/3IP, 2R, 1H, 1BB, 1K; Landon Kuennen (RP) – 2/3IP
1B – Alstad 1; Caleb Meyer 1; RBI – Meyer 1; SB – Holthaus 1
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