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Comets defeat Vikings, 4-3, in extra innings

Press photo by John Burbridge Charles City senior Dylan Salnias had three hits and yielded to Decorah just three hits in 7-and-1/3 innings pitched during the Comets’ extra-inning win over Decorah.
Press photo by John Burbridge
Charles City senior Dylan Salnias had three hits and yielded to Decorah just three hits in 7-and-1/3 innings pitched during the Comets’ extra-inning win over Decorah.
By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

DECORAH — The Charles City Comets baseball team had a light schedule on Friday.

Relatively speaking.

A week after sweeping a tripleheader against Waukon, the Comets only had to play one game against Decorah

Nonetheless, it still required some extra effort from Charles City to defeat the Vikings, 4-3, in eight innings.

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Comet senior Noah Schlader was able to beat out a grounder hit deep into the hole on the left side on the infield for a “walk-off” infield single that scored Jace Cajthaml from third for the winning run.

The extra-inning win salvaged a doubleheader split for the Comets (10-7, 7-5 in Northeast Iowa Conference). Two days before, the Vikings won a 17-9 slugfest in the first game of a doubleheader held at Mikkelson Park in New Hampton.

Though the first game was played at Mikkelson Park and the second at Olejniczak Field in Decorah, Charles City was the home team in the doubleheader — the games had to be relocated from Sportsmen’s Park due to flooded field conditions.

The Comets got another gutsy performance from senior Dylan Salinas. At the plate, Salinas rapped three hits including two doubles.

On the mound, Salinas limited the Vikings to three hits. Though he struggled with control (eight walks, one hit batsman), Salinas was able to contain numerous Viking threats while pitching himself out of several jams.

He also got some help from those playing behind him.

After Charles City tied the game at 3 in the bottom of the sixth, Comet center fielder Elliott Sinwell made a diving catch on a sinking line drive hit by Ian Smith with a Viking aboard to help get out of that inning unscathed.

Though Salinas pitched more than a standard high school complete game (7 and 1/3 innings), it was his future Wartburg College teammate Theo Arndt who got the win.

Arndt came in with one out and one aboard in the top of the eighth. The Vikings eventually loaded the bases, but Arndt got Drake Shelton to fly out to Sinwell to end yet another threat.

To start the bottom half of the eighth, Salinas doubled for his third hit but was erased in a subsequent rundown when Viking third baseman Cael Luzum was able to range to his right to take a potential game-winning hit away from Cajthaml before pivoting to trap Salinas, who had strayed about 25 feet from the bag.

Though the Vikings were able to get Salinas, Cajthaml — who had doubled in the first inning to put the Comets up 2-0 — had advanced to second base.

Cajthaml later advanced to third on Arndt’s infield out before Schlader — inserted as a pinch-hitter — got him home.

Tait Arndt was 2 for 3 with a double and a RBI for Charles City, which will travel to play Oelwein at the Oelwein Sports Complex.

Decorah fell to 13-4 and 9-3.

CHARLES CITY 4, DECORAH 3

DECORAH              AB  R  H BI  CHARLES CITY         AB  R  H BI

Jackson Varney        3  0  0  0  JJ Ritter             4  0  0  0

Drake Shelton         5  0  0  0  Colton Slinger        3  1  1  0

Brannan Hogan         3  1  0  0  Cole  Reams           3  0  0  0

Ian  Smith            3  0  1  0  Dylan Salinas         4  1  3  0

Dawson Holkesvik      3  1  1  0  Jace  Cajthaml        4  1  1  2

Kailer McCabe         1  1  0  0  Theo Arndt            4  0  1  0

Jace Johnson          1  0  1  0  Tait Arndt            3  0  2  1

Cael Luzum            3  0  0  0   Noah Schlader        1  0  1  1

Thomas Knoke          3  0  1  0  Wyatt  Stevenson      3  0  0  0

                                  Elliott Sinwell       3  0  0  0

                                  *Ben Miller           0  1  0  0

TOTALS               25  3  4  0  TOTALS               32  4  9  4

DECORAH                       020 010 00 — 3

CHARLES CITY                  200 001 01 — 4

LOB–DECORAH 11, CHARLES CITY 7. ERR–Drake Shelton, JJ Ritter, Wyatt  Stevenson. 2B–Dylan Salinas (2), Jace  Cajthaml, Tait Arndt. HBP–Brannan Hogan, Colton Slinger. SACB–Cael Luzum, Jace Johnson (2), Cole  Reams. SB–Drake Shelton.

DECORAH                         IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR

Brannan Hogan                  5.00    4    2    2    0    5    0

Michael Bruening (L)           2.67    5    2    2    0    2    0

CHARLES CITY               

Dylan Salinas                  7.33    3    3    1    8    2    0

Theo Arndt (W)                 0.67    1    0    0    1    0    0

PB–Cole  Reams (2). WP–Dylan Salinas. SO–Thomas Knoke, Drake Shelton, JJ Ritter (2), Theo Arndt, Wyatt  Stevenson (3), Cole  Reams. BB–Thomas Knoke, Ian  Smith, Dawson Holkesvik, Jace Johnson, Kailer McCabe (3), Jackson Varney(2).

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