Pat Harty

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – Just like their friends on the City High softball team, members of the City High baseball team also talked as kids while growing up in Iowa City about doing something special together in high school.

The Little Hawk softball team accomplished that last week by earning a trip to the state tournament for the first time since 2001.

And now the Little Hawk baseball team is just one victory from accomplishing the same thing.

City High scored six runs in the third inning and then cruised to an 11-1 victory over Waterloo West in a Class 4A sub-state final on Monday at Mercer Park.

The Little Hawks will face Marshalltown (19-18) on Wednesday in Marshalltown with a trip to the state tournament on the line.

“It would definitely be something special,” said junior pitcher Brady Herzic. “Our (youth baseball) team was always talking about what we were going to do in high school. So we saw the success back then.”

Herzic was a key factor in City High’s victory on Monday as he allowed just four hits in a game that was stopped after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

“My mindset was coming in let our fielders make plays,’ Herzic said. “We played them earlier in the season and we walked a lot of guys. So we just didn’t want to repeat that, just throw strikes.”

Herzic practiced what his coaches preached by walking just one batter. He also had three strikeouts and benefitted from an offense that produced 11 hits, including three by junior outfielder D.J. Heck.

“Whenever we have run support I just feel like I pitch ten times better,” Herzic said.

Herzic also had praised for Little Hawk catcher Liam McComas.

“Liam is great at framing everything and sticking everything,” Herzic said. “He works hard every day. He's our leader. He's our guy.”

Waterloo West actually scored the game’s first run in the top of the third, but the lead didn’t last long as City High answered with six runs in the bottom of the frame.

City High coach Brian Mitchell warned his team heading into Monday’s game about how to respond should they fall behind early.

“It was kind of a game I sorted of predicted a little bit just we talked to them about, hey, if it’s tight early or we get a little bit, do not panic,” Mitchell said. “Just stay with your plan. Our hits will come. And as soon as we get a little momentum, we felt that would be a great opportunity for us to make them make plays and maybe kick it around a little bit.”

Waterloo West did just that by committing four errors, including a fly ball hit by Sam Lewers that was misplayed in right field that resulted in City High’s final runs in the bottom of the fifth.

“We were swinging the bats loose and aggressive and that’s what you can hope for,” Mitchell said.

Waterloo West   001  00 –  1  4  4

City High           006  14 – 11 11 2

W – Brady Herzic

2B – ICH: DJ Heck, Zach Kuepker, Liam McComas, Ben Steve

3B – ICH: Travis Reyhons