Johnson, Burgess shine in a 5-4 win!

Johnson, Burgess shine in a 5-4 win!

URBANDALE – The Montezuma Braves rode the power hitting of Cam Johnson and the at-times overpowering pitching of Eddie Burgess to a 5-4 win over Ankeny Christian Academy in a district semifinal baseball game Tuesday evening, July 13.

Montezuma advances to the district championship game against North Mahaska, a 5-2 winner over BGM. That game will start at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 17, at North Mahaska, a move that the state association made on Wednesday. That winner will advance to the sub-state game.

Johnson blasted two home runs, and drove in what turned out to be the winning run with a single. He drove in all five Braves runs.

Burgess moved his pitches around, and at times blew them past Eagles hitters, not allowing an earned run and striking out nine batters in 6.1 innings of work.

It was a come from behind win for the Braves, who trailed 2-0 in the second inning.

The final result may have surprised some, based on records and seedings, although the teams appeared to be well-matched.

Ankeny Christian ended its season at 27-5.

Montezuma advances at 13-6.

The Eagles scored twice in the second inning and added a run in the third. But Burgess shut down their run machine over the next four innings.

Johnson’s fifth inning single gave the Braves a 5-3 lead.

The Eagles scored a run in the bottom of the seventh and had the tying run at second base with two outs. But Burgess got the final out on an infield roller.

Montezuma out-hit the Eagles 11-4. Ankeny Christian had a team batting average of .335 coming in, and had averaged 7.6 runs scored per contest.

Johnson was three-for-three at the plate, but was one of four Braves with a multi-hig game.

Cole Watts was two-for-three, stole a base, and drove an outfielder back to the fence to catch a towering out.

Burgess was two-for-three, and Connor Van Zee was two-for-four.

Cruz De Jong had a hit and stole a base, and Owen Cook had one hit.

Burgess threw 6.1 innings. He allowed three runs, none of them earned. He gave up three hits. He walked two in addition to the nine strikeouts.

Cole Watts came in for the final two outs. He yielded one unearned run and one hit. He didn’t walk or strike out a batter.

The Braves made three errors on the night.