Charles City rallies back against Oelwein ace, but Huskies hang on to win 7-5

By John Burbridge
sports@charlescitypress.com
NEW HAMPTON — Part of the reason why there are no undefeated teams in the Northeast Iowa Conference is because they all at one point in the season have to deal with Oelwein ace Steven Nicolay — all except the Huskies, of course.

The Charles City Comets faced Nicolay earlier in the season during a NEIC doubleheader in Oelwein. During the DH, the Comets battled back from a 6-run deficit to defeat the Huskies.

Though we must note facing Nicolay and coming back from a 6-run deficit came in separate games.

On Monday at Charles City’s home away from home — Mikkelson Park in New Hampton — the Comets faced Nicolay again and again were faced with a 6-0 deficit.

Another comeback would have to come against a pitcher who boasted a sub-1.0 earned run average going into the third meeting between the two clubs.

And it almost happened.

After the Comets finally got to Nicolay in rallying for 3 runs in the bottom of the fifth, Charles City junior Atticus Parrot drilled a Nicolay fastball over the left-field fence for a 2-run home run — his second homer of the season — making the score 7-5 with no outs in the bottom of the seventh.

Nicolay and the Huskies retired the next two batters, but Comet sophomore JJ Ritter was able to foul off four straight two-strike pitches before singling through the right side of the infield for his second hit of the game.

While representing the tying run, Cole Reams — who pitched an inning-and-a-third of scoreless relief to help Charles City get back into the game — hit a hopper back to Nicolay, who fielded it for the final out in a 7-5 final.

Mason Kunkle was 3 for 4 with two home runs while driving in 3 runs, and Luke Crandall was 2 for 3 with a homer and 2 runs batted in for Oelwein (11-7, 6-4).

After being held to one hit through four innings, Carter Johanningmeier — relieved starter Tait Arndt in the fifth and yielded no earned runs in one-and-two-thirds innings — began the bottom of the fifth with a walk on four straight pitches.

Elliott Sinwell followed with a ground ball deep to short that was booted but likely wouldn’t have gotten him or forced pinch runner Colton Crooks at second anyway.

Wyatt Stevenson singled to drive in Crooks and Sinwell after both advanced to third and second, and Stevenson later scored from third on Colton Slinger’s fly to short right field.

The Comets (8-9, 7-4) with try to rebound with an NEIC doubleheader at Decorah on Wednesday.

OELWEIN 7, CHARLES CITY 5
OELWEIN AB R H BI CC AB R H BI
Dom Robertson 2 1 1 1 Colton Slinger 3 0 0 1
Dillon Arndt 4 0 1 0 JJ Ritter 4 0 2 0
Mason Kunkle 4 2 3 3 Cole Reams 4 0 1 0
Steven Nicolay 4 0 0 0 Jace Cajthaml 3 0 0 0
Zach Wegner 4 0 0 0 Tait Arndt 1 0 0 0
E. Thomas 3 1 0 0 Carter Johanningmeier 0 0 0 0
Luke Crandall 3 2 2 2 Kaden Barry 1 0 0 0
Drake Logan 2 1 1 0 Elliott Sinwell 3 1 0 0
Carson Jeanes 3 0 2 0 Wyatt Stevenson 2 2 1 1
Atticus Parrott 3 1 1 2
Ian Collins 2 0 0 0
*Colton Crooks 0 1 0 0
TOTALS 29 7 10 6 TOTALS 26 5 5 4
OELWEIN 103 201 0 — 7
CHARLES CITY 000 030 2 — 5
LOB–OELWEIN 5, CHARLES CITY 4. ERR–Dom Robertson (2), JJ Ritter. 2B–Drake Logan. HR–Mason Kunkle (2), Luke Crandall, Atticus Parrott. SACF–Colton Slinger. SACB–Drake Logan. SB–Dom Robertson, Dillon Arndt, Ethan Thomas, Cole Reams.
OELWEIN IP H R ER BB SO HR
Steven Nicolay 7.00 5 5 3 3 10 1
CHARLES CITY
Tait Arndt 4.00 7 6 6 2 5 3
Carter Johanningmeier 1.67 3 1 0 1 0 0
Cole Reams 1.33 0 0 0 0 1 0
BALK–Steven Nicolay. SO–Dom Robertson, Mason Kunkle, Ethan Thomas, Drake Logan, Luke Crandall, Zach Wegner, Kaden Barry, Colton Slinger, Elliott Sinwell, Jace Cajthaml, Ian Collins (2), Wyatt Stevenson, Atticus Parrott, Cole Reams(2). BB–Dom Robertson (2), Ethan Thomas, Carter Johanningmeier, Ian Collins, Wyatt Stevenson.