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Jeff Yoder

Your Prep Sports

Nerves were getting to Matt Paulsen as West Branch’s five-run lead slipped away during the conclusion of the 2A district 6 final at Mid-Prairie on Monday.

His sixth-inning pitch to Aidan Rath landed on the other side of the right field fence for a two-run homer, cutting the lead to one.

“Coach just looked at me and told me that I have to trust myself, trust my pitches,” Paulsen said.

“I was kind of aiming it, I was a little on edge.”

After retiring the next six in order, Paulsen and West Branch celebrated a 7-6 victory and a district title.  

“That last inning I was just gripping it and ripping it,” Paulsen said.

“I had all the confidence in the world and with the defense behind me, we got it done.”

Over 49 hours after the first pitch of the game on Saturday, the Bears dumped coolers of water on coach Andy Lapel in the outfield.

Lightning delayed play on Saturday, and the game was eventually suspended until Monday.

“I didn’t get much sleep and I didn’t eat very well,” Lapel said about the wait.

“But these guys handled it way better than I did, I promise you that. I was very anxious.”

West Branch led 5-0 in the top of the fourth when play was suspended, after holding Mid-Prairie without a hit for three innings.

It didn’t take the Golden Hawks long to reverse that trend, putting a run on the scoreboard with three hits in the bottom half of the fourth inning.

Mid-Prairie loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth and cut the lead to 6-4, scoring on a fielder’s choice, an error, and a walk.

“The record says how well we’ve played, but that’s not without some adversity throughout this year,” Lapel said.

“I can think of so many games where we’ve been ahead and other teams have chipped away and we’ve stayed strong and played our game. Guys have come up with big plays. I can not describe the feeling that I feel and how proud I am of them.”

West Branch got a run back in the top of the sixth when Brady Lukavsky scored on a passed ball. Lukavsky led off the inning with a single and Pete Espensen moved him to third with a hit.

Espensen finished the game 2-2 with a pair of walks. Paulsen was 3-4 at the plate. 

Trey Eagle got the start on Satuday and issued two walks in the first and one in the second, but allowed no hits in three shutout innings while striking out five. 

“It started out a little rough, Eagle said. “I think when I broke a sweat, my grip got a little better and I really started putting some balls in there.

“The defense made some nice plays and we really just found a groove.”

Eagle helped his own cause with an RBI double in the third to score Espensen.

West Branch put the game’s first run on the scoreboard before an out was recorded as Tanner Lukavsky doubled to score Matt Paulsen, who led off with a single.

Gavin Hierseman put the ball in play with the bases loaded to drive in a run on a fielder’s choice later in the inning.

Mitch Knoop singled and took advantage of an error and a wild pitch to score in the fifth. Paulsen drove in a run with a single to increase the lead to five before the delay.

In Tuesday’s substate final in DeWitt, West Branch (19-7) will face Camanche (18-12), who upset No. 8 Beckman Catholic 4-2 in the district 5 final in Dyersville on Saturday.

West Branch        201  211  0  –  7  10  1

Mid-Prairie           000  132  0  –  6   5   1

W – Trey Eagle           L – Keegan Gingerich

2B – WB: Trey Eagle, Tanner Lukavsky

HR – MP: Aidan Rath

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