Baseball tourney underway

The state baseball tournament is underway with the class 2A quarterfinal round in Marshalltown. Sixth ranked Emmetsburg pounded out 14-hits in a 16-3 victory over Jesup. Third baseman Mike Wentzel had three hits for Emmetsburg, including a tie breaking two-run double in the fifth that opened the floodgates. Wentzel says hitting has been their strength all year.Jesup coach Bruce Wall says it was a great post season run by his club.With only one senior on the roster Wall says the experience will be invaluable.Emmetsburg will take a 28-2 record into Friday’s 2A semifinals. The loss ended an unlikely postseason run for Jesup. The J-Hawks finished the regular season 11-18 and close the year with a mark of 15-19.In the other Class 2A afternoon game — Mid-Prairie’s Dan Hartzler pitched 5 and two third innings of scoreless ball, then had to get out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the 7th inning for a 3-2 win over Sergeant Bluff-Luton. Mid-Prairie’s three runs game on a two run homer by Jeff Bontrager and a solo homer by Adam Rath. The 2A quarterfinals continue in Marshalltown this evening. At six, Eagle Grove plays Colfax-Mingo. The nightcap has defending champion and second ranked Dyersville Beckman playing Shenandoah. The Class 1A baseball tournament opened today in Carroll. Radio Iowa’s Kara Defending State Champion Granville-Spalding downed Central Decatur 4-1.Spalding coach Bill Wuebker says he was a little worried when it look like Central Decatur might make a late comeback, but his team was able to close it out.Granville Spalding is now 33-5, while Central Decatur finishes its season at 20-8. In the other game, Lone Tree shut out North Iowa 2-0.The 1A quarterfinal round continues tonight in Carroll. At six, a couple of top five teams matchup as top ranked Mason City Newman battles fifth ranked Lynnville-Sully. Both teams have just three losses on the season. Newman enters with a mark of 38-3 while Lynnville-Sully is 27-3. The nightcap finds fourth rated Lansing Kee against Coon Rapids-Bayard. After a runner-up finish last season Kee High is making a 14th appearance at the state tournament and will try to become the first school to win nine championships.The 3A and 4A quarterfinal round begins at noon, tomorrow.