Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – Luke Ira has an explanation for a senior season power surge that has the Solon shortstop leading the state in home runs.

An offseason spent in the weight room has helped a bigger and stronger Ira hit the ball harder and drive the ball further as a senior.

What Ira can’t really explain is his penchant for launching long balls with the bases loaded.

Ira smacked his third grand slam of the season on Friday as Class 3A fifth-ranked Solon buried Keokuk 15-1 in a District 9 semifinal in Solon.

“I don’t know, I can’t really explain it,” Ira said of his three grand slams this season. “It’s just good to put a good swing on it when there are guys on base.”

Ira had eight home runs in his first four prep seasons combined, none of them coming with the bases loaded.

His state-leading 18th home run on Friday, a towering shot to left field in the fourth inning, was the third grand slam of his life, all in a span of a few weeks.

“It’s something you don’t think about but it’s exciting,” Ira said. “I’m just trying to come through for my team with guys on base.”

Ira got plenty of help on Friday as Solon (30-10) advanced to the District 9 title game where it will host Clear Creek Amana (19-19) on Monday at 7 p.m.

Zach Wegmann homered and Cam Miller tossed four one-hit innings and drove in four runs as the Spartans won for the 11th time in 13 games.

“It was a good start for us in the postseason, we hit the ball well,” Miller said. “To get some hits and get some confidence going into the next game is nice.”

Miller got the Solon going early.

After retiring Keokuk in order in the first the sophomore pitcher put Solon up 3-0 in the bottom of the inning with a two-out, three-run double.

“Our guys to their credit came out patient and took our free bases and then Cam got a bit two-out double,” Solon coach Keith McSweeney said. “If you don’t get any that inning you are maybe looking at a different baseball game.”

Solon broke the game open with a five-run second inning.

The Spartans sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning and took advantage of three walks and a hit batsman and Miller had an RBI single.

“We were just focused on getting hits,” Ira said. “We put up 10 or 11 hits and that’s what our focus was today was just getting hits and getting guys on base and that’s what we did today.”

Solon led 10-1 when Ira launched an 0-1 pitch over the left field fence for his third grand slam and school-record tying 18th home run of the season.

The home run was the four in six games for Ira and upped his team leading RBI total to 55.

“The first pitch was right down the middle and I was kind of beating myself up for not swinging at it,” Ira said. “He threw me another pitch that was pretty good and I put a good swing on it.”

Miller allowed just one hit, a leadoff double to Dalton Boecker in the second inning, and struck out seven in four innings.

The sophomore right-hander improved to 8-3 on the season with his third consecutive win.

“I keep feeling better every time out,” Miller said. “My elbow is getting better, I got treatment and it just keeps getting better and it feels good.”

Miller had three hits while Tyler Linderbaum had two and drove in two runs.

Adam Bock, Zach Wegmann and Wegmann all drove in two runs for Solon.

“I thought we were patient but when we saw strikes we hit it hard today,” McSweeney said.

Keokuk          010  00  –  1     1   1

Solon               351  6x  –  15  11  2

W – Cam Miller                      L – Josh Wills

2B – SOL: Cam Miller, Kendrick Harris, Tyler Linderbaum

HR – SOL: Luke Ira, Zach Wegmann