Top stars, best performances in Iowa high school baseball (June 26-July 2)

Some of the top performances from last week in Iowa prep baseball

By Barry Poe 

Here are some stars from last week’s high school baseball games across Iowa.

If you know of a top performance we should include, please email nate@scorebooklive.com. 

Carter Geffre, Ames

The University of Iowa commit struck out 14 batters in a 14-0 win over Mason City. Geffre allowed only two first-inning singles. Geffre also led off the second game of the doubleheader with a home run and the Little Cyclones won 18-10.

Easton Miller, Ankeny Centennial

The senior centerfielder smacked two home runs abd drove in four, leading the Class 4A top-ranked Jaguars to an 11-3 win over crosstown rival Ankeny. Centennial scored seven times in the fourth inning.

Austin Baumhover, Van Meter

The junior shortstop had two doubles and a homer, driving in four runs in a 6-1 win over Des Moines Christian. That snapped a three-game losing streak for the Class 2A top-ranked Bulldogs.

Hunter Cook, North Polk

The junior struck out 11 and spaced five hits in a 7-3 win over Carlisle. Cook notched his fifth pitching win of the season for the Class 3A second-ranked Comets.

Karson Grout, Mid-Prairie

The junior shortstop had two hits, including a homer, and knocked in five runs in an 8-0 win over Durant in the first game of a doubleheader. It was Grout’s third homer of the season and he raised his RBI total to 30.

Conner Beelner, Kingsley-Pierson

The senior shortstop was 4-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs scored in an 18-5 rout of Treynor. The Panthers collected 26 hits and Beelner was one of three players with four.

Caden Wilson, Johnston

The senior pitched six hitless innings in relief as the third-ranked Dragons clipped No. 1 Ankeny Centennial 2-1 in the first game of a doubleheader. Wilson struck out nine in relief of Sam Hesselman. Centennial won the nightcap 8-7.

Brady Hetzel, Lewis Central

The sophomore was a combined 4-for-8 at the plate and picked up a pitching win in the second game as the Titans swept Creston. Hetzel went the distance, spacing five hits while striking out 8 in a 4-3 Lewis Central win.

Cael Ortmann, Remsen St. Mary’s

The senior homered and knocked in three runs for the Class 1A third-ranked Hawks in an 11-1 win over No. 10 Le Mars Gehlen Catholic. Ortmann and Isaaiah Gerriettscombined for a two-hit shutout the next night against West Sioux.

Grant Mather, Cedar Rapids Kennedy

The junior hit a two-run homer and picked up the pitching win for the Cougars in a 12-2 victory over Anamosa. Mather gave up two hits in 4.2 innings, fanning five.

Kaden Frommelt, Marion

The DMACC commit had two singles and a double in four at-bats in the Class 3A No. 4 Wolves’ 14-4 win over Class 2A No. 3 Dyersville Beckman. Designated hitter Isaac Scott knocked in four runs.

Owen Larson, Estherville-Lincoln Central

Larson, a junior who has already committed to South Dakota State for basketball, struck out 15 Spirit Lake batters in his first pitching appearance since last year’s 2A state semifinal. Larson gave up three hits and outdueled Spirit Lake’s Jake Cornwall, who allowed just two hits and struck out 14.

Caleb Rea, Lynnville-Sully

The senior had a productive week for the Class 1A No. 4 Hawks, going 4-for-7 at the plate with four RBIs and four runs scored. Rea also notched his third pitching win of the season, striking out eight in four innings against HLV. Lynnville-Sully closed the regular season with a 24-1 record.

Grant Rychnovsky, ADM

The junior was 4-for-7 with a double, two triples and five RBIs in wins over Bondurant-Farrar and Winterset for the Tigers, ranked fifth in Class 3A.

Garrett Luett, Underwood

The freshman shortstop was 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs for the Eagles in a 15-0 win over Nodaway Valley. Junior Jack Vanfossan struck out nine and gave up two hits in four innings pitched.

Landon Frost, Don Bosco

The junior shortstop had a triple, homer and three RBIs as the Dons capped a 25-5 regular season with a 6-1 victory over Jesup. Frost finished the regular season with a .522 batting average, 22 extra base hits and 40 RBIs for the Class 1A fifth-ranked team.

Jake Mitchell, Iowa City High

The junior tossed a one-hit shutout against city rival Iowa City Liberty in a 2-0 win. The Little Hawks completed a sweep with their seventh straight win, 11-1.

Trenton Kingery, Knoxville

The senior had a double, home run and four RBIs as the Panthers won their 30th game of the season, 13-3 over Clarke. Knoxville won the first game of the twin bill 8-0 as Beau Leisure doubled, homered and knocked in four.

Logan Sibenaller, Carroll Kuemper

The senior second baseman came within a single of hitting for the cycle in a 12-2 win over Denison-Schleswig. Sibenaller, second on the Class 2A sixth-ranked Knights in hitting at .333, was 3-for-4 with a double, triple and home run.

Mason Bechen, North Linn

The sophomore was 5-for-8 with a home run, four runs scored and three RBIs in a doubleheader sweep to cap the regular season for the Lynx. Bechen closed the regular season at .419 with 28 RBIs and a team-high 37 runs scored.

Reece Vander Zee, Central Lyon

The junior and a University of Iowa football commit threw a perfect game in the first round of the Class 2A districts. Vander Zee struck out 15 in a 1-0 win over Hull Western Christian, which had three pitchers combine to no-hit Central Lyon. Central Lyon drew six walks and scratched out a run in the fifth inning.

Mason McIntosh, West Harrison

The junior had three hits, drove in three runsand stole two bases in a 16-5 win over East Mills. McIntosh is second on the Class 1A seventh-ranked Hawkeyes with a .437 batting average.

Zayne Weiland, Le Mars Gehlen

The senior recorded a four-inning no-hitter in a 15-0 win over Siouxland Christian in a Class 1A district opener. Weiland struck out seven of the 12 batters he faced and only one ball that Siouxland Christian put in play left the infield.

Ayden Schrunk, Sioux City North

The junior had a double and three RBIs as newly-crowned Missouri River Conference champion North upended Class 4A top-ranked Ankeny Centennial 4-1. North won its first MRAC title since 2015.

Doug Taylor, Mason City Newman

Iowa recruit Taylor combined with Adam Henrich for a no-hitter in No. 1 Newman’s 10-0 victory over BCLUW in first-round district play. Taylor struck out 11 in five innings, running his record to 8-0.