NM Tops English Valleys at Iowa
IOWA CITY – English Valleys and North Mahaska returned to Duane Banks Stadium after a three-year absence. The two teams have played many near season ending games at the stadium on the campus of the University of Iowa. North Mahaska jumped out to a 9-0 lead and held on for a 9-4 victory.
Only the seniors from each team had previously played on the all-turf field. COVID issues forced the teams to postpone their games the past two seasons. Due to weather conditions across the state, it was unsure if Saturday night’s game would take place.
North Mahaska saw its first two batters retired before senior designated hitter Sam Terpstra drove a long single centerfield. Nash Smith walked and Drake Hall singled home Terpstra for the first run of the game.
Sophomore pitcher Nolan Andersen threw the first four innings and struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced. He yielded a single in the fourth inning to the Bears. North Mahaska held English Valleys scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning.
Taylor Landers singled, then with one out Josh Osborn and Landen Montross walked to load the bases. Senior Beau Flanders walked in a run and Ty Ayers drove in a run on a groundout. Ty Moore walked ,and Luke Moore singled in another run, but the Bears were unable to keep the rally going.
Both teams will enter postseason play this coming Saturday. They used the game as a tune-up for those contests. North Mahaska coach Kevin Kelderman planned to throw Andersen four innings and then allow his other players to get some work in, but the plan didn’t work out exactly how he had hoped.
“Nolan had a great putting and I think it will give him some confidence,” said Kelderman. “I really was thinking my other pitchers would throw one inning.”
Jayden Stout hit a single and double to drive in two runs and Smith doubled in two runs. Terpstra hit three singles while Ben Johannes, Jaydyn Steil, Nate Sampson, Dodge Duke and Hall added singles.
North Mahaska went 7-for-7 in stolen bases. Andersen picked up the win with eight strikeouts. Steil tossed 1 2/3 innings with a walk and three strikeouts. Hall tossed 2/3 of an inning allowing four runs on three hits, three walks and a strikeout. Nate Sampson also tossed 2/3 innings with two walks and a strikeout.
English Valleys will open Class 1A tourney play against Lynnville-Sully on Saturday, July 2 at 7 p.m. North Mahaska will play at Lynnville-Sully as well taking on Colfax-Mingo at 5 p.m. If North Mahaska and English Valleys both win would mean another meeting between the two schools on Tuesday, July 5.
