The Iowa Falls-Alden baseball team will face Dike-New Hartford for the first time since 2018 in a Class 2A district semifinal on Tuesday.
IFA (5-17) enters off a thrilling comeback victory 5-4 over South Hardin in district quarterfinal on Monday. This was the Cadets first playoff win since 2021. The game was suspended on Saturday in the top of the 5th inning, as South Hardin led 4-3. Andrew Bartlett (3 RBI’s) drove in the go ahead runs for the Cadets in the top of the 7th on a two run home run.
Cadet Head Coach Wyatt Ziesman says Bartlett has set an example and the team is working on staying focused.
“He’s definitely somebody that’s helped out the team a lot this year. Being one of the few juniors on the team, he’s done a great job of showing the younger guys what it takes to work hard and go to the work every day when you get to practice,” says Ziesman. “We’re going to talk a lot about baseball IQ and staying focused and being ready to play. Hopefully the guys can let that soak in, stay in the game, and hopefully come out with a win.”
Dike-New Hartford (13-12) received a first round bye. Junior Carson Costello has been an all-star for the Wolverines with a .369 avg. 21 RBI’s, a 1.06 ERA and 58 strikeouts thrown.
It’ll be the first game of a doubleheader, with pregame coverage at 4:40 p.m. followed by the first pitch at 5:00 p.m. on 104.9 KLMJ.
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows (12-16) had a 6-5 comeback win over Eagle Grove in a district quarterfinal on Saturday. Landen Kakacek with a .333 avg. and Carson Nesheim with 18 runs driven in lead off the Cowboys offense.
CGD Head Coach Ryan Nail says the Cowboys are taking it one game at a time.
“We’re playing our best baseball at the best part of the season,” says Nail. “We’re gonna head up against Roland Story, who’s the number one seed in our district. We take it one game at a time, one night at a time, and we’re just gonna try to play our best baseball and see what happens.”
Roland-Story (14-17) received a first round bye. Brett Schmitz has emerged as an ace pitcher for the Norsemen with a 2.02 ERA and 58 strikeouts in eight appearances.
It’ll be the second game of a doubleheader that is scheduled to get underway at 7:00 p.m. on 104.9 KLMJ in Story City.
