NEW SHARON – North Mahaska used solid pitching, some timely hitting, and solid defense to score a 6-0 win over Montezuma in a Class 1A baseball sub-state semifinal game.
The contest was played in front of a sizable crowd on a sunny evening with temperatures in the low 80s on Friday, July 17.
The Warhawks got six innings of no-hit pitching from starter Blake Readshaw. Jaydyn Steil came on in relief in the seventh to retire the first two batters.
Then, Montezuma’s Gavin Strong broke up the combined no-hit bid with a looping single to center field.
The win sends North Mahaska (22-5) on to the sub-state final game Tuesday, July 20, in Marshalltown.
The defeat closed the season at 13-7 for a still-young Montezuma ballclub.
Braves sophomore Owen Cook pitched a competitive game, yielding just five hits to a potent North Mahaska offense while striking out six batters with an assortment of off-speed pitches.
But Readshaw was even more consistent, working quickly on the mound and moving his pitches around in the zone.
North Mahaska struck with two runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings.
In the first, Readshaw hit a towering double to center field, and scored after Dylan Klinker hit a triple to deep right. Klinker came in to score when a Cook pitch got past the catcher.
After that, Cook retired nine straight hitters. But with Readshaw not allowing hits, the game moved quickly.
In the Warhawk fourth, Sam Terpstra singled, then a wild pitch, a Nash Smith single, a stolen base, a balk and an error plated two runs to make it 4-0.
In the North Mahaska fifth, Readshaw reached second on a drive down the left field line and Klinker drew a walk. Terpstra then doubled down the line in left to score two runs and make it 6-0.
Readshaw experienced occasional control problems, and did walk five Montezuma hitters and hit one batter.
Cole Watts walked in the first inning, a throwing error put him on second, and a fly ball out by Eddie Burgess moved Watts to third. But Connor Van Zee made the third out in the inning on a foul ball that was caught down the right field line.
In the sixth, three walks loaded the bases with Braves with two outs. Cruz De Jong then hit what amounted to a swinging bunt, but Readshaw was able to field the ball and get the out at first base.
Montezuma stranded seven runners in the game, while the Warhawks left just two on the basepaths.