Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

TIFFIN – Clear Creek Amana saw a seven-run lead shrink and its early momentum all but disappear late in its Class 3A, District 10 final against Solon on Monday.

What never wavered was the Clippers confidence.

Clear Creek Amana scored seven runs in the first inning and held on for an 8-7 win over Solon (14-8) in a wild substate semifinal in Tiffin.

“I had no doubt in my mind we were winning,” Clear Creek Amana senior Tyler Schrepfer said. “They scored five runs and we came back and got a run. I had no doubt in the world that we were coming out on top in this one.”

Schrepfer recorded the final six outs in relief of starter Brock Reade as wiggling out of trouble in each of the final two innings as Clear Creek Amana (15-5) completed a three-game season sweep of Solon.

Clear Creek Amana will face top-ranked Davenport Assumption (20-4) in the Substate 5 championship on Wednesday at Modern Woodman Park in Davenport at 7 p.m.

“They’ve been really resilient,” Clear Creek Amana head coach Nick Zumsande said. “All kids have gone through a lot this year and these guys have been really resilient. They knew it was going to be battle, it’s awfully hard to beat a team three times in the same season and Solon has a really good team so even when we jumped up like we did we knew that game wasn’t over.”

Clear Creek Amana threatened to put the game away early.

The first eight hitters reached base in the seven-run first inning in which the Clippers took advantage of two hit batters, three walks, two Solon errors, a balk and a wild pitch while building its early lead.

“I thought our guys stayed really patient at the plate,” Zumsande said. “There was a lot of hooting and hollering going on and there was a good shot they were going to get sped up a little bit mentally and I thought they handled it real well and had quality at bats and worked counts and did everything they had to do to put themselves in position to have quality at bats.”

The first seven Clear Creek Amana hitters to come to the plate came around to score as the Clippers sent 12 to the plate in the opening inning.

Casey Ogden and Parker Smith each had RBI singles in the seven-run outburst as Solon used three pitchers in the inning.

“We were just waiting and waiting to put it on them,” Ogden said. “It’s Solon, they’re our rivals and we were just waiting for that moment and we took advantage of it.”

Solon wouldn’t go quietly.

Sully Steen worked six stellar innings in relief, allowing just one unearned run to keep the Spartans afloat.

Solon got back into the game with a five-run third inning that featured a three-run triple by Brett White.

“An inning like that first inning definitely brings the confidence up but kudos to them they didn’t give up,” Ogden said of Solon. “They are hard fighting team I’ll give them that.”

Clear Creek Amana got a run back in the sixth on a Smith RBI single.

The Spartans cut the lead to 8-6 on a Brady Jeworrek RBI double in the sixth but Schrepfer came on in relief and escaped a bases loaded jam when he struck out White looking to end the inning.

“He’s got a lot of savvy,” Zumsande said of Schrepfer. “I got a chance to watch hi play basketball at the end of the year and he’s got savvy. He’s a tough nut. He’s a really good competitor and he lays it out there and what more can you ask of a guy.”

Solon made one last effort in the ninth as Cole Arduser doubled leading off the inning and pinch runner Brayden Rickertsen scored three batters later on a Jeworrek ground out.

Schrepfer got Carson Shive to line out to Smith at second base to end the game.

“With a runner on first I was just trying to keep the ball low and keep it out of the outfield,” Schrepfer said. “I was just trying to throw strikes, I know my fielders have my back and no matter what happens I knew somebody was going to make a play.”

Reade earned the win, improving his season record to 4-0, allowing six runs on six hits in five innings. Schrepfer record the six-out save.

After finishing 17-20 last season the Clippers will get a shot at reaching the state tournament on Wednesday.

“Last year we were talking about just being above .500 and now we are going to substate to play for a chance to go to state,” Ogden said. “It’s big for us.”

Solon                                        005  001  1  –  7  7  5

Clear Creek Amana              700  100  x  –  8  6  2 

W – Brocke Reade                  L – Jacob Smith          SV – Tyler Schrepfer

2B – SOL: Sully Steen, Brady Jeworrek, Cole Arduser

3B – SOL: Brett White

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