Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The baseball postseason got rolling last weekend with West Branch the first Your Prep Sports team to start substate play.

West Branch won its postseason opener on Saturday, keeping its season alive and setting up what should be an exciting stretch of postseason action in the Your Prep Sports area.

Postseason action picks back up following the holiday weekend on Tuesday in the smaller classes with Class 3A and 4A getting into the act later this week.

Here are a few things to take a look at as Your Prep Sports area teams begin to start their runs toward the state tournament.

City High Aiming High

After reaching the state tournament in 2020 City High came up a game short of a return a year ago falling at Ottumwa in the substate final.

The Little Hawks entering the 2022 postseason not just seeking a state tournament return but as genuine title contenders in Class 4A.

Second-ranked City High (28-8) has won seven straight entering the final doubleheader of the regular season against Waterloo West (3-29) and will host Muscatine (4-27) in a 4A, Substate 6 opener on Friday at Mercer Park.

With a win over the Muskies City High would host the Substate 6 title game on July 13.

City High has showed this season is can compete with anyone.

The Little Hawks swept third-ranked Cedar Rapids Prairie and have wins over sixth-ranked Waukee Northwest, eighth-ranked Cedar Falls and No. 10 Urbandale as well as wins over top-six ranked 3A teams, Dubuque Wahlert, Cedar Rapids Xavier and Western Dubuque.

A senior-laden City High lineup is led by Gable Mitchell (.466 BA, 46 runs) and Cade Obermueller (.409 BA, 35 RBI) and Obermueller is the ace of a solid stable of arms for the Little Hawks.

The senior left-hander owns a 3-1 record and 1.58 ERA while striking out 71 in 35 1/3 innings and could theoretically start both of the substate games for City High.

Rematch of RVC Rivals 

At 7-14 it has been a bit of a rebuilding season for a young West Branch squad but nothing would be better for the Bears than a postseason run fueled by a win over rival Regina.

West Branch will have that opportunity when it travels to Iowa City on Tuesday for a Class 2A, Substate 5 quarterfinal at 7 p.m.

The Bears lost four in a row and seven of eight to close the regular season before a 21-2 win over Louisa-Muscatine on Saturday in their postseason opener.

Regina swept the regular season series with West Branch on its way to the RVC South Division title but scuffled down the stretch itself scoring just three combined runs in four consecutive losses to close the regular season.

The Regals won the first meeting between the two teams 5-1 back on May 31 and added a 17-2 win in West Branch on June 22.

Don’t expect Regina to be overlooking West Branch which has legit ace in senior left-hander Lucas Pierce who owns a 2.86 ERA and has struck out 46 in 39 innings.

All eight teams remaining in 2A, District 5 so whichever team emerges from Monday’s quarterfinal will face more RVC rematches down the road.

Third-ranked Cascade (17-5) is the top seed in Substate 5.

Solon Hitting Stride

As the postseason approaches Solon (21-16) appears to be hitting its stride.

Actually, the Spartans have hit all season, ranking fourth in Class 3A in runs scored while averaging nearly eight runs per game.

It is the maturation of a young pitching staff that has helped Solon rattle of wins in 12 of its last 16 games.

The pitching has improved but the Spartans will likely need to rely heavily on its potent lineup led by sophomore Brett White (.472 BA, 44 RBI) and senior Kinnick Pusteoska (.324 BA, 40 RBI) to make a run in a loaded Class 3A, Substate 4.

Solon, which has scored 10 or more runs nine times over its last 16 games, opens postseason play on Friday hosting Maquoketa (12-18)

The Spartans split with Maquoketa back on May 23 and with a win would likely host seventh-ranked West Delaware (29-10) in the semifinals with fourth-ranked Dubuque Wahlert (24-11) potentially looming in a substate final.

Solon scoring 19 runs while sweeping West Delaware in a doubleheader on June 16 in Manchster.

Clear Creek Amana’s Road To State

Iowa City will host the Class 3A state tournament for the second consecutive season giving Clear Creek Amana a short drive should it return to state for the second time in three seasons.

In order to qualify for the 3A state tournament the Clippers will nee to hit the road.

Clear Creek Amana (21-10) will host Charles City High (10-16) in a 3A, Substate 3 quarterfinal on Friday.

Then comes to the road trips.

The Clippers would like head to Waverly-Shell Rock (23-9) for a semifinal and could potentially travel to Farley to face top-seeded Western Dubuque (25-10) in the substate final.

That is obviously looking ahead but the Clippers have the type of team capable of making run.

Clear Creek Amana has a deep lineup with eight players hitting over .300 led by senior Ben Swails who is hitting a team-leading .495 with nine home runs and 54 RBI.

Senior Sam Young (5-0, 2.39 ERA) and junior Josh Loren (5-1, 2.39 ERA) give the Clippers a nice top of the rotation combo and the depth is there behind those two in juniors Caleb Allan and David Williams.

Another Run for West High?

Few teams in the state have been more synonymous with postseason success over the past decade than West High.

The Trojans will have their work cut out for them in a strong Class 4A, Substate 3 field but are always a threat to make noise in the postseason under long-time coach Charlie Stumpff.

West High (17-19) will host Cedar Rapids Washington (17-14) in the opening round on Friday.

The Trojans swept the regular season doubleheader between the two teams in May winning 7-6 and 5-2.

Linn-Mar (20-15), which split a doubleheader with West High last month, is the two seed and a likely semifinal opponent for the Trojans with seventh-ranked West Des Moines Dowling (23-13) the top seed.

Don’t Overlook Liberty High

Sitting at 17-17 heading into the final week of the regular season Liberty High isn’t going to be a popular pick to make noise in the postseason.

Overlook the Lightning at your own risk.

Liberty High has had a bit of a rollercoaster season.

Scoring 18 runs while going 3-1 in doubleheaders against No.3 Cedar Rapids Prairie and second-ranked City High then lose four straight to Linn-Mar and Western Dubuque while being outscored 26-7.

It’s been that type of summer.

However, the Lightning have showed signs of being more consistent of late, winning six of their last eight games with wins over Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Solon, Dubuque Wahlert and West High during that stretch.

The key in the postseason is always pitching and Liberty High has a trio of seniors atop its rotation that can get the job done.

Jack Turgasen (5-0, 2.97 ERA), Boyd Skelley (3-3, 3.38) and Hayden Vickroy (2-4, 4.07) have all flashed signs of being the top guy for the Lightning this season and will need to all do their part for the Lightning to navigate a Substate 5 draw that starts with a home game against Clinton (16-12) on Friday.

Eighth-ranked Cedar Falls (24-10) is the second seed while defending state champion and ninth-ranked Pleasant Valley (23-11) is the top seed.

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