Raiders finish season in district final

The Raider baseball team had a strong showing in Coon Rapids on Wednesday evening in their district semifinal against the Coon Rapids-Bayard Crusaders.

Both teams were strong on the mound on Wednesday, but Mount Ayr came out on top of the ninth ranked Coon Rapids-Bayard with a final score of 3-2.

Tate Dugan started on the mound for the  Raiders and recorded 12 outs in the game.

Coon Rapids-Bayard opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning after Ty Heydon laid down a sacrifice bunt, scoring one run.

The Crusaders kept pushing on as they were also able to push another run across in the bottom of the fifth inning where they scored on a pass ball behind the plate, leaving the score after five straight 2-0.

The Raiders didn’t take the lead until later in the game. Mount Ayr was down 2-0 in the top of the seventh inning when Rowan Sackett tripled, scoring three runs, giving the Raiders a 3-2 lead over the Crusaders.

Tate Dugan led the Raiders on the mound where he gave up one hit and two runs over four innings, striking out none and walking five.

Jaixen Frost pitched three innings of the game for Mount Ayr in relief. He gave up zero hits, striking out six and walking none.

Jaixen Frost led Mount Ayr Varsity Raiders with three hits in three at bats from the leadoff position.

 Rowan Sackett had a tremendous game at the plate from his spot in the middle of the lineup, and led the  Raiders with three runs batted in.

The Raiders turned one double play in the game and found themselves to be sure-handed in the field where they didn’t commit a single error. Drew Ehlen had the most total chances in the field with seven.

The Mount Ayr Raiders played their final game of the 2023 baseball season on Saturday evening where they came out behind the Lenox Tigers by just two runs.

Mount Ayr jumped out to the lead in the top of the first inning after Drew Ehlen singled, scoring one run, and Conlee Stark drew a walk, scoring one run and Lenox committed an error, scoring one run.

Lenox tied the game in the bottom of the first with the help of a fielder’s choice by Keigan Kitzman, and a single by Trenton Beck making the score at the top of the second inning 3-3.

A single by Jaixen Frost in the top of the second gave the Raiders the lead, 4-3.

A passed ball at the plate gave Lenox the lead, 5-4, in the bottom of the second.

In the top of the third inning, Mount Ayr tied the game after Jaxsen Walter hit into a fielder’s choice, and Dylan Graham hit into a double play, scoring one run for the Raiders.

The Tigers were unable to put up any runs in both the third and fourth innings, making the score going into the fifth 5-5.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Lenox went back into the lead after Samson Adams singled, and Keigan Kitzman was struck by a pitch, each scoring one run.

Drew Ehlen and Jaixen Frost were a force together in the Raiders lineup, as they each had two hits for the Raiders while hitting back-to-back.

Ehlen, Frost, and Walter each drove in one run for Mount Ayr, Riley  Stark stole two bases, and overall the Raiders stole four bases.

The Raiders fought hard on Saturday night but the game unfortunately went to the Tigers with a final score of 7-5.

Mount Ayr had three talented seniors on their roster which would include Drew Ehlen, Jaixen Frost and Riley Stark.

The team will certainly have a hard time filling those shoes, but they anticipate a great season ahead.

The Raiders final record was 10-8.