Two lop-sided victories over Murray and East Union as part of a five-game winning streak helped boost the record of the Mount Ayr Community Raiders in action this past week.

The Raiders thumped East Union 21-1 in Afton Tuesday, June 16, then pounded Murray 16-5 in Murray Wednesday, June 17.

With the wins the Raiders are now 7-5 overall and 1-5 in the Pride of Iowa conference.

Mount Ayr Community 21, East Union 2

Mount Ayr Community scored a season high 21 runs in picking up their first conference win 21-2 in a four-inning contest against the East Union Eagles in Afton on Tuesday, June 16. 

The Raiders sent 15 men to the plate in the first inning and 10 of them scored giving the Raiders an early lead.  Seven different Raiders had hits in the opening frame and seven different men scored with Matt Sobotka, Christian Overholtzer and Michael Bentley all touching home plate twice. 

Mount Ayr Community added an unearned run in the second before exploding for 10 more in the third.   Korey Beaman homered and Jake Glendenning and Matt Sobotka both doubled in the big inning. 

Matt Sobotka, Christian Overholtzer, Colton Bolles and Jake Glendenning all collected three hits and Korey Beaman and Michael Bentley each had four RBI’s in the game.

Christian Overholtzer got the win giving up one hit, one run, striking out two and walking two in two innings of work.  Matt Sobotka pitched the third giving up one run and Michael Bentley was the hurler in the final frame. 

“The hits just kept coming tonight,” said coach Thad Streit.  “It would be nice if we could package some of these hits and use them later.” 

Mount Ayr Community 16, Murray 5

Mount Ayr Community finally got going to enable them to get a non-conference win over the Mustangs 16-5 in Murray on Wednesday, June 17.  It was the fifth win in a row for the Raiders.

Mount Ayr Community scored two runs in the top of the first as Matt Sobotka was safe on an error and scored on Michael Bentley’s single.  Christian Overholtzer also singled and scored on the first of Colton Bolles four hits of the day making it 2-0. 

Murray scored two runs in the first and two more in the second to hold a 4-2 advantage after two complete. 

Mount Ayr Community got hits from Bentley, Bolles, Ryan England and Jake Glendenning to grab the lead for good at 6-4 in the middle of the third.  The Mustangs scored one in the bottom of the inning, but might have scored more if not for a nice double play turned by second baseman Michael Bentley.

The Raiders scored two more in the top of the fifth on a clutch two-run single by designated hitter Jake Glendenning. 

The game stayed at  8-5 until the top of the seventh when the Raiders scored seven times on five hits giving them a huge 15-5 lead.  The Raiders pushed across a final run in the bottom of the seventh, giving the Raiders their fifth win in a row.

Jake Glendenning, Colton Bolles and Korey Beaman all had good days at the plate for Mount Ayr.  Glendenning had three hits and five RBIs, Bolles also had three hits and four RBIs and Korey Beaman  had a single and double and three RBIs.  Christian Overholtzer had three hits, Michael Bentley two and Chad Starlin, Matt Sobotka, Ryan England,  and Daniel Showalter one each as the Raiders had 17 hits against the Mustangs. 

“We are hitting the ball well right now,” said coach Thad Streit.  “Everybody in the lineup had at least one hit,  and the bottom five guys had nine hits and 12 RBI’s between them tonight.”

Ryan England battled the heat and some less than stellar fielding in the first three innings to go the distance to get the victory on the mound.  Ryan gave up seven hits, walked four and struck out three in notching the win. 

Next action

The Raiders were to host Corning Tuesday night and travel to Bedford tonight (Thursday). Friday, June 26, they go to Interstate 35 and the host Lenox for a varsity only game Tuesday, June 30.

 Wins over Bedford and Lamoni and a loss to Southeast Warren marked the week’s work for the Mount Ayr Community Raiderettes softball team.

In a rain-shortened week, the girls blanked Bedford 11-0 June 4, fell to Southeast Warren June 5 and then downed Lamoni 4-2 June 8.

The week’s action evens the Mount Ayr Community POI record at 2-2 and gives them a 4-2 record on the season.

Mount Ayr Community 11, Bedford 0

Mount  Ayr Community defeated the Bedford Lady Bulldogs 11-0 to raise their POI record to 2-1 for the 2009 season on June 4 on the Raiderette field. 

“We finally got the bats going in the fourth,” said coach Josh Vanderflught. “Erin Budach did a good job keeping the Lady Dawgs off balance.” 

The Raiderettes opened the game by scoring three runs on hits from Tess Myer, Jordyn Grose and Jensen Stewart. 

Mount Ayr Community picked up another run in the second as Bailey Myer reached on an error and later scored on Tess Myer’s second hit of the game.  Becca Pennington singled, Chelsey Hosfield doubled, and Tara Adams tripled as Mount Ayr increased the lead to 6-0 after three innings

Mount Ayr Community took advantage of walks and Lady Dawg errors to put up a five spot in the bottom of the fourth. Erica Kemery and Jensen Stewart both had hits and they and Tess Myer, Bailey Myer and Jordyn Grose all touched home plate increasing the lead to 11-0. 

A nice running catch by right fielder Bailey Myer helped Erin Budach retire Bedford in order in the top of the fifth ending the contest via the 10-run rule.

Erin Budach earned her third win of the season as she allowed two hits, fanned  seven and walked one in five innings of work.

R H E

Bedford 0 0 0  0 0 0 2 5

Mount Ayr 3 1 2  5 x    11 8 1

Spencer (L) 4.0 and Russell

Budach(W)--5.0 and Hosfield

Southeast Warren  8, Mount Ayr Community 3

The Southeast Warren Warhawks got a fine pitching performance from Kacee Arey and offensive power from catcher Kayli Schurman to hand Mount Ayr Community an 8-3 POI conference loss on the Raiderettes home field on June 5. 

“We got some hits off Arey,” commented head coach Josh Vanderflught.  “We struck out too many times tonight keeping us from getting any big rallies going.”

The Warhawks scored one in the opening frame on two walks, a fielders choice and an error, taking an early lead. 

Southeast Warren increased the lead to 6-0 with a big five-run fourth inning.  They started the inning with two hits and a walk loading the bases with no outs. The first tally came home an errant pitch,  and an error loaded the bases again for Southeast Warren with still no one out.  It looked like the Raiderettes might get out of the inning without any further damage as Erin Budach got  the leadoff hitter to pop out to short and coaxed Arey to foul out to Chelsey Hosfield.  Kayli Schurman then hit a 3-2 pitch that left a vapor trail as it soared some 240 over the batting cage beyond the left center field fence for a grand slam homer making the score 6-0 in favor the visitors.

Mount Ayr Community got on the board in their half of the fourth, denting the dish twice to cut the deficit to 6-2.  Tess Myer singled and scored on Becca Pennington’s sac fly and Jordyn Grose, who reached on a fielders choice, scored on Chelsey Hosfield’s double to right center. 

Southeast Warren scored one more in the fifth and might have scored more except for a great catch by Becca Pennington at short which she turned into an inning ending double play.  Bailey Myer reached on an error in the Raiderette fifth and scored as Eric Kemery got a hit advancing Bailey second, allowing her to come around to score when the Warhawks third baseman threw wildly trying to get Tess Myer at first.

The Warhawks scored their final run in the sixth on two walks and a Maddi Martin double. 

Mount Ayr Community got hits from both Myer sisters in the seventh, but Kacee Arey fanned the next two Raiderette hitters ending the night for Mount Ayr Community. 

Kacee Arey struck out 16, walked none and surrendered seven hits in picking up the win.  Erin Budach took the loss surrendering eight runs, eight hits, walking fiveand striking out four.

R H E

SE Warren 1 0 0  5 1 1  0 8 8 3

Mount Ayr 0 0 0  2 1 0  0 3 7 1

Budach(L)--7.0 and Hosfield

Arey(W) 7.0 and Schurman

Mount Ayr Community 4, Lamoni 2

Mount Ayr Community raised their record to 4-2 with a non-conference victory over Lamoni on Raiderette field on Monday, June 8. 

“We played just well enough to win,” observed coach Josh Vanderflught.  “Lamoni proved to be a worthy opponent tonight as Amber Quick did a good job of keeping us off balance at the plate.”

Erica Kemery singled and scored on a Demon error to give the Raiderettes an early 1-0 lead.  Lamoni threatened in their half of the third, but some good defense and poor base running decisions by the Demons,  allowed Mount Ayr Community to get out of the frame without  allowing a run. 

The Raidrettes scored two in the bottom of the third as Bailey Myer reached on an error and scored on Tess Myer’s groundout.  Erica Kemery scored her second run of the game on a passed ball after reaching base on a fielder’s choice.

 The Demons scored twice in the top of the sixth as they put together three straight hits including a double from Amber Quick.

Mount Ayr Community countered with one run of their own in the bottom of the sixth as Tess Myer reached on an error and scored on Becca Pennington’s groundout to give Mount Ayr a 4-2 lead heading into the final inning.

Lamoni loaded the bases with two out, but Erin Budach got Mikaela Millslagle to ground out to Becca Pennington to end the game.

Erin Budach secured win number four by striking out four, allowing five hits, walking three and hitting two Demons.  She got a lot help from her defense as the Raiderettes threw out four Demon baserunners on the night, preventing several Lamoni scoring opportunities.

R H E

Lamoni 0 0 0  0 0 2  0 2 6 5

Mount Ayr 1 0 2  0 0 1  x 4 3 1                

Quick (L) 6.0 and Klever

Budach(W)--7.0 and Hosfield

Next action

                  Mount Ayr Community hosts POI opponents Nodaway Valley tonight (Thursday), and Wayne Friday, June 12.  The Raiderettes play Griswold at 10:50 a.m. Saturday, June 13 in the Creston Classic.  The contest will be played on the SWCC field in Creston.  Mount Ayr Community will play Dallas Center-Grimes at 2:30 p.m. back at the Creston high school field on Saturday.

    Season for the Mount Ayr Community Raiders baseball opened with a title at the Murray baseball tournament and then a Pride of Iowa conference opening loss to Pleasantville.
    The Raiders are now 2-1 for the young season and 0-1 in conference play.
Murray tournament wins
    Mount Ayr Community opened the 2009 baseball season on a high note by winning the Murray tournament on Thursday, May 28. 
    The Raiders downed Lamoni  7-2 in the opening round and handled Central Decatur 10-4 in the championship game.   Central Decatur reached the  championship by downing the host Murray Mustangs 3-1.  The consolation game was won by Murray as they defeated the Demons from Lamoni 4-1.
    Christian Overholtzer scattered four hits, walked two and struck out seven, picking up the win in game one. Both of the Lamoni runs were unearned as errors in the second and fifth allowed the Demons to plate single runs in those two frames. 
    Mount Ayr Community scored two runs in the bottom of the first without the benefit of a hit.  The Raiders used two walks and sac flies from Daniel Showalter and Ryan England to take a 2-0 lead. A double from Colton Bolles, a single by Michael Bentley, a sac fly from Matt Sobotka, a walk and couple of errors and the Raiders held a 5-1 lead heading into the third.
     Matt Sobotka’s double helped the Raiders add two more in the bottom to build a 7-1 lead.
    Ryan England was the winning pitcher for the Raiders in the championship game.  He surrendered nine hits, walked two and recorded no strikeouts. 
    “Ryan kept the ball down and got the Cards to hit several ground balls,” said head coach Thad Streit.  “Matt Sobotka made couple of great plays that kept Central Decatur from getting any big innings going.”
    Daniel Showalter went 3-3 at the plate and catcher Korey Beaman homered and drove in five runs to pace the offense.  Ryan England, Michael Bentley and Jake Glendenning collected the other safeties for the Raiders in the contest. 
    Matt Sobotka, Michael Bentley, Ryan England, and Daniel Showalter were all selected to the all-tournament team.
                                    R    H    E
Lamoni        0    1    0    0    1        2    4    3
Mount Ayr        2     3        0  2 x    7    4    2
Overholtzer(W) 5.0 and Beaman
Jones(L), 1.0, Seymour 1.0, Morris-2.0 and Hensley
                                    R    H    E
Central Decatur        0 2 0  1 1    4    9    2
Mount Ayr                4 0 6  0 x    10    7    2
England(W) 5.0 and Beaman
Brown(L) 2.1, Akers--1.2 and Welch
Pleasantville  10,  Mount Ayr Community  0
    Jacob Schletzbaum threw a perfect game as the home team, Pleasantville Trojans,  beat the Mount Ayr Community Raiders 10-0 in the five inning contest. 
    “Schletzbaum was just too good for us tonight,” said coach Thad Streit.  “He threw hard and his pitches had movement, making it tough for us to make solid contact.”
    Matt Sobotka started the game for Mount Ayr Community and was charged with the loss.  He went two innings, walking one, striking out one and surrendering six hits and four runs. 
    Michael Bentley pitched 1 1/ 3 innings, giving up six runs, three hits and walking two.  David Showalter got the final two outs while fanning one, walking one and being touched for one hit. 
    It was the big fourth inning that was big factor in the home team’s win.  The Trojans pushed across six runs with D.J. Weaver providing a big hit in the frame to break the game wide open. 
                                    R    H    E
Mount Ayr             0    0    0    0    0    0    0    2
Pleasantville         1    3    0     6 x    10     11    0
Sobotka(L)--2.0, Bentley--1.1, Showalter--0.2 and Beaman
Schletzbaum(W)--5.0 and Lester
Next action
        The Raiders  face conference foes Corning, Southeast Warren and Bedford this week before playing in the Nodaway Valley tourney this weekend.