Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Half of the state baseball tournament field is set.

Classes 1A and 2A played substate title games on Monday with 16 teams across the state securing spots at the state tournament.

Now it’s the big school’s turn to secure spots at the Class 3A and 4A state tournaments scheduled to run July 22-26 at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids.

Before first pitches are throw for 3A and 4A substate finals on Wednesday Your Prep Sports takes a closer look at the three games featuring area teams.

Class 3A, Substate 4

Clear Creek Amana (23-15) at No. 1 Dubuque Wahlert (32-9)

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Where: McAleece Park and Recreation Complex

Top players: Clear Creek Amana – Maclane Morgan, Jr., .457 BA, 52 R, 15 EBH, 32 RBI; Kaden Phan, Jr., .386 BA, 6 HR, 44 RBI. Dubuque Wahlert – Will Specht, Jr., .365 BA, 46 R, 3 HR, 20 RBI; Foti Rigopoulos, Jr., .328 BA, 34 R, 3 HR, 30 RBI.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana is seeking just its second ever trip to the state tournament and first since 2020.

The Clippers have won three of their last four games, a stretch that includes a 12-1 win over 4A substate finalist West High and a 6-2 win over 3A seventh-ranked Solon in the substate semifinals on Tuesday.

Clear Creek Amana has been among the best offensive teams in Class 3A all season.

The Clippers lead 3A in batting average at .350 and rank sixth in 3A in runs scored.

Seven Clear Creek Amana starters are hitting over .300 this season led by junior Maclane Morgan (.456, 17 2B, 30 RBI), Ty Fuller (.456, 40 R, 30 RBI) and Kaden Phan (.386, 6 HR, 44 RBI).

Robert Meade, Trace Robertson and Luke Young are all hitting over .325 and have combined for 72 RBI.

About the Golden Eagles: Dubuque Wahlert is seeking a second consecutive state tournament appearance and third in the last four years after finishing runner-up in 3A in 2021 and reaching the 3A semifinals last season.

The Golden Eagles have 30 wins for the third time in the past four seasons and have won 11 of their last 12 games entering Wednesday’s substate final.

During its current stretch of 11 wins in 12 games that dates back to June 24 the Golden Eagles have five wins over ranked teams including doubleheader sweeps of 4A top-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy and 4A sixth-ranked Linn-Mar.

Junior Foti Rigopoulos headlines a strong Golden Eagle pitching staff going 7-0 with a 2.56 ERA with 49 strikeouts in a team-high 52 innings.

The Dubuque Wahlert offense is led by junior Will Specht (.365, 20 RBI), sophomore Brandon Cummer (.353, 25 RBI) and Rigopoulos (.328, 30 RBI).

What to watch: Two of the best offensive teams in Class 3A meet in what has all the makings of a close game that should feature plenty of scoring.

Clear Creek Amana is averaging better than 6.6 runs per game over its last six games while Dubuque Wahlert has scored six or more runs nine times in its previous 12 games.

An early run could be key for either team in a winner-take-all scenario.

Clear Creek Amana scored two runs in the first inning and jumped to a 6-0 lead in its semifinal win over Solon on Tuesday while Dubuque Wahlert overcame an early 2-0 deficit by scoring seven runs in its final three at bats.

Class 4A, Substate 7 

West High (20-21) at No. 3 City High (32-7)

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Mercer Park

Top players: City High – Talon Young, Jr., 5-2, 1.37 ERA, .96 WHIP, 41K; Jaxton Schroeder, Jr., .400 BA, 29 R, 2 HR, 21 RBI. West High – Jacob Koch, Sr., .317 BA, 20 R, 3 HR, 32 RBI; Kyle Cherry, Jr., 6-4, 2.92 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 53K, 60 IP.

About the Little Hawks: City High is seeking a third consecutive state tournament appearance and fourth in the past five seasons.
The Little Hawks have been impressive all season. The 32 wins for City High match its total from 2022 as the most for the program in nearly two decades.

Junior ace Talon Young was sharp in the substate quarterfinals last Friday allowing just four hits and striking out six while throwing 82 pitches in a complete game shutout.

On the season Young is 5-2with a 1.37 ERA and .96 WHIP with 41 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings.

City High’s lineup is led by juniors infielders Jaxton Schroeder (.400 BA, 2 HR, 21 RBI) and Drake Obermueller (.327 BA, 23 RBI).

Five different Little Hawks are hitting at least .299 and seven different City High players have driven in at least 16 runs this season.

About the Trojans: Talk about peaking at the right time West High has won four straight after posting back-to-back substate wins over Cedar Rapids Prairie and Davenport Central.
The Trojans won two games in different ways to return to a substate final for the first time since 2019.

West High won a 3-0 game over Cedar Rapids Prairie in the substate quarterfinals behind a four-hit shutout from Kyle Cherry.

On Tuesday the Trojans rallied from a 5-1 deficit and hammered nine hits in a 9-8 win over Davenport Central in the substate 7 semifinals.

Cherry will likely get the nod on Wednesday and has been excellent all season.

The left-hander is 6-5 with a 2.92 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with 53 strikeouts in 60 innings.

Seniors Zach Logsdon (.319, 22 RBI) and Jacob Koch (.317, 3 HR, 32 RBI) headline a West High offense that has is averaging seven runs per game during its current four-game winning streak.

What to watch: What else would you expect in a substate final showdown between cross-town rivals than a tight game?

City High swept West High in a doubleheader back on May 24 at Mercer Park winning the opener 2-0 and taking the nightcap 8-2.

The 2-0 win in the nightcap could be a preview of what to expect tonight with Young outdueling Cherry.

Young allowed just four hits and a walk while striking out four in a complete game victory while Cherry gave up just two runs on five hits while fanning three in six innings.

A winner-take-all matchup between two teams that know each other well and feature excellent starting pitching makes this one of the most anticipated substate finals of the evening.

Class 4A, Substate 8 

Pleasant Valley (19-17) at No. 9 Liberty High (25-13) 

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Liberty High School

Top players: Liberty High – Mason Waterbury, Jr., 10-0, .12 ERA, .67 WHIP, 66K; Ryan Schmierer, Sr., .387 BA, 36 R, 23 RBI. Pleasant Valley – Lincoln Dalton, Soph., .314 BA, 2 HR, 25 RBI; Tyge Lyon, Sr., .308 BA, 20 RBI.

About the Lightning: Liberty High is seeking to cap another impressive season with a third consecutive state tournament appearance in just its seventh varsity season.

The Lightning have already set a single-season program record with 25 wins after downing Waterloo East 2-0 in the substate quarterfinals on Friday.

Junior left-hander Mason Waterbury struck out 13 in a three-hit shutout of Waterloo East in the substate quarterfinals and is expected to get the substate final start.

Waterbury (10-0) leads Class 4A in wins and ERA (.12) and has posted a .67 WHIP while striking out 66 and walking just 13 in 58 innings.

Senior Ryan Schmierer (.387, 36 R, 23 RBI) leads the Liberty High offense while juniors Cooper Hughes (.350, 21 RBI), Jayden Khamphilanouvong (.253, 21 RBI) and Brayden Mayer (.270, 19 RBI) and sophomore Evan Schmierer (.365, 27 R) have all put together strong seasons.

About the Spartans: Pleasant Valley is making its sixth consecutive appearance in a substate title game and is seeking its first trip to state since winning the 4A title in 2021.

The Spartans have won four straight games, scoring 35 runs in those games including a 6-1 win over seventh-ranked Davenport North in the substate semifinals on Tuesday.

Sophomore standout Lincoln Dalton tossed a complete game one-hitter on Tuesday in the win over Davenport North, his second win of the postseason after throwing five shutout innings in a win over Davenport West on Friday.

That leaves juniors Bo Collingwood (2-5, 2.98 ERA) and Aiden Schaapveld (2-3, 1.48 ERA) as the most likely options to start in the title game on Wednesday.

What to watch: These two teams have grown familiar with each other over the past several seasons meeting in substate title games in 2020 and 2022.

Liberty High won the most recent meeting 5-4 in the 2022 title game to earn its first ever trip to the state tournament.

These two teams have combined to allow a total of three runs in three postseason games so even without Dalton on the mound the expectation is for a low scoring game.

Look for both teams to play for one run early as runs will likely be at a premium for both teams on Wednesday.

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