BEAMAN - A seven-run first inning paved the way to an easy, 14-4 victory for East Marshall in their first meeting with Aplington-Parkersburg just one week ago.
It worked so well the first time that the Mustangs tried the same formula the second time around.
East Marshall rattled off another seven-run opening at-bat and buried the Falcons under a pile of runs, putting up a 12-2, five-inning win in the semifinals of Class 2A District 13 baseball on Tuesday night.
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T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE
East Marshall senior pitcher Dakotah Wolken delivers to the plate during the top of the third inning of Tuesday’s Class 2A District 13 baseball quarterfinal game in Beaman. The Mustangs defeated Aplington-Parkersburg, 12-2 in five innings.
Aplington-Parkersburg starting pitcher Clint Kannegieter threw nine straight balls to open the bottom of the first, and back-to-back singles by John Bloom and Josh Wilson started the onslaught for the Mustangs (23-11).
One out later, Nick Mommer singled, Zach Rubenbauer walked and Nick Long singled to chase Kannegieter from the mound. Cole Harre and Dalton Beadle added RBI singles off reliever Abe Folkerts and the rout was on.
The Mustangs tacked on five more runs in the second, and all the run support was more than enough for senior pitcher Dakotah Wolken.
The senior right-hander struck out five, hit one batter and allowed two earned runs on five hits. Three of the Falcons' hits came bunched together in the third inning, leading to the only runs for A-P.
"It gives you so much confidence when your team goes out and scores seven runs in the first and five in the second inning," said Wolken. "You're just trying to throw strikes when you're up by that much, you've just got to pitch like you've got a lead.
"So much stress goes away. Before the game you're a little bit nervous and then you score seven runs."
Beadle finished 2-for-2 with a double, two walks and three RBIs to lead East Marshall offensively. Long and Harre both had two RBIs while Wolken, Wilson and Mommer each scored twice.
"I felt good about it but I also knew that (Aplington-Parkersburg) didn't throw their number one (pitcher), so that always concerns me," said East Marshall head coach Justin Frost. "And then it's tournament time, the one-and-done deal. Every game, especially in tournament time, I kind of get nervous anyway."
The Mustangs advance into Saturday's district championship game back in Beaman against ninth-ranked Hudson, which knocked off Dike-New Hartford 6-0 in the evening's second game.
Cody Ryan was 2-for-2, Curry Hoff doubled and Abe Folkerts drove in both A-P runs with his third-inning single. The Falcons, who defeated South Hardin in last Saturday's opening round of district play, finished the season 11-15.