By RYAN STONEBRAKER
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — The Mount Ayr baseball team had the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the seventh inning, but could not score in their 5-4 district final loss to Lenox last Saturday. The game was the second time in as many years that the Raiders and Tigers have met in the district final. Lenox advanced to face top ranked Coon-Rapids Bayard Tuesday, July 14 at West Des Moines Valley High School. Mount Ayr ends the year with a 13-8 record.
The Tigers scored first in the game and never trailed. The Raiders would tie the game at 3-3 in the middle innings before Lenox grabbed the lead for good.
Mount Ayr retired 10 straight Lenox batters at one point. Mount Ayr was led at the plate by Rowan Sackett and Adler Reed who each had two hits. Drew Graham had the other Raider hit. Reed and Graham each had RBI. Rowan Sackett, Tyler Still, Tytan Gourley, Avery Wolfe, Isac Dugan and Jaxsen Walter each reached base via walks. Graham pitched six and a third innings in relief. He struck out nine, walked two and gave up five runs on eight hits. Walter pitched the final two-thirds innings of scoreless relief.
