Chickasaws double down on Comets

Charles City falls twice to Class 2A top-ranked New Hampton

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

WAVERLY — You can take winning percentages, team batting averages, team earned run averages, on-base percentages, coaches poll ranking, overall wins above replacement (whatever that means), or any other sabermetric-related algorithms for what they’re worth. But perhaps the best way to determine the prowess of the baseball team — in particular a high school baseball team — is how well they can turn a doubleplay.

The Class 2A top-ranked New Hampton Chickasaws can double you up with the best of them. And playing on the billiard table-level artificial infield surface at Wartburg College only enhances their twin-killing capabilities.

In the first game of Friday’s doubleheader — which was moved from Sportsmen’s Park — against the hosting Charles City Comets, the Chickasaws spoiled several pending threats with inning-ending DPs, including one that ended the 5-0 final.

And they just missed getting several more in the following game, which they won 9-2 while improving to 26-2 for the season and 15-1 while leading the Northeast Iowa Conference.

Lefty Noah Hopp scattered five hits and struck out six while going the distance in the shutout victory.

In the second game, New Hampton’s Keegan Tenge continued to hold the Comets scoreless through four innings before being relieved by quick-paced pitcher Keegan Kane, who closed out the game.

Zack Wemark, who had a big game against the Comets in their previous meeting in New Hampton, was 5 for 6 for the day — 4 for 4 in the second game. Carter Stochl and Aden Zwanzinger both had three hits in the second game for the Chickasaws.

Though Colton Slinger and Nate Lasher had two hits respectively in the first and second games, the Comets had a hard time getting things going with the Chickasaws turning doubleplays and Hopp picking two runners off first base.

But while the Charles City fans fretting about reports of storm-related power outages back home, the Comets’ offense sparked to life in the fifth inning of the second game.

Jalen Jones and Cole Reams rapped RBI singles to cut the Chickasaws’ lead in half (4-2) at the time.

That’s when New Hampton opted for a pitching change with Kane, who threw a wild pitch to the first hitter he faced. From third, Elliott Sinwell bolted for home and appeared to get under tag of Kane, who was covering the plate. But the umpire ruled him out and that ended the inning and any further Charles City threat.

The Comets (9-15, 5-9) will try to rebound Monday with an NEIC doubleheader at Oelwein.

NEW HAMPTON 5, CHARLES CITY 0

NEW HAMPTON   AB  R  H BI  CC         AB  R  H BI

Carter Stochl       3  1  1  0  Cole  Reams           3  0  0  0

Keegan Tenge      4  0  0  0  Nate Lasher           3  0  0  0

Ryan Gorman       4  0  1  1  Drew Mitchell         3  0  1  0

Noah Hopp          3  0  1  0  Dylan Salinas         3  0  0  0

Zach Wemark        2  1  1  2  Theo Arndt            3  0  1  0

Josh Fenske         3  0  1  0  Colton Slinger        3  0  2  0

Aden Zwanzige2  1  0  0  Wyatt  Stevenson      1  0  0  0

Wyatt Stochl      2  0  1  1  Jordan Kapping        2  0  1  0

Mason  Cleveland   3  1  1  0  Elliott Sinwell       1  0  0  0

*Max Schwickerath     0  1  0  0                                    

TOTALS            26  5  7  4  TOTALS               22  0  5  0

NEW HAMPTON                   012 100 1 — 5

CHARLES CITY                  000 000 0 — 0

LOB–NEW HAMPTON 5, CHARLES CITY 5. ERR–Aden Zwanziger. HBP–Carter Stochl, Aden Zwanziger, Wyatt  Stevenson. SACB–Wyatt Stochl, Jordan Kapping. SB–Carter Stochl, Mason Cleveland, Max Schwickerath, Ryan Gorman.

NEW HAMPTON             IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR

Noah Hopp                      7.00    5    0    0    2    6    0

CHARLES CITY              

Drew Mitchell                  2.67    4    3    3    2    2    0

Nate Lasher                    4.33    3    2    2    0    1    0

WP–Drew Mitchell, Nate Lasher. SO–Zach Wemark, Aden Zwanziger, Ryan Gorman, Dylan Salinas (2), Theo Arndt, Elliott Sinwell, Drew Mitchell, Cole  Reams. BB–Zach Wemark, Noah Hopp, Elliott Sinwell, Wyatt  Stevenson.

NEW HAMPTON 9, CHARLES CITY 2

NEW HAMPTON       AB  R  H BI  CC         AB  R  H BI

Carter Stochl       5  2  3  1  Cole  Reams           3  0  1  1

Keegan Tenge      4  0  1  0  Nate Lasher           3  0  2  0

Ryan Gorman       4  0  0  1  Drew Mitchell         3  0  0  0

Noah Hopp          3  2  0  0  Dylan Salinas         3  0  0  0

Zach Wemark        4  2  4  1  Theo Arndt            3  1  1  0

Josh Fenske         2  2  0  0  Colton Slinger        3  0  0  0

Aden Zwanziger 4  0  3  2  Wyatt  Stevenson    2  1  0  0

Wyatt Stochl      3  0  1  2  Jordan Kapping        1  0  0  0

Mason  Cleveland 3  0  0  0   Jalen Jones          2  0  1  1

*Ryan Anderson     0  1  0  0  Elliott Sinwell       2  0  0  0

TOTALS           32  9 12  7  TOTALS               25  2  5  2

NEW HAMPTON                  003 012 3 — 9

CHARLES CITY                 000 020 0 — 2

LOB–NEW HAMPTON 7, CHARLES CITY 3. ERR–Colton Slinger, Jordan Kapping, Cole  Reams, Nate Lasher. SB–Zach Wemark (2), Carter Stochl (2), Keegan Tenge, Aden Zwanziger, Noah Hopp, Josh Fenske.

NEW HAMPTON            IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR

Keegan Tenge                   4.67    5    2    2    1    4    0

Keegan Kane                    2.33    0    0    0    0    0    0

CHARLES CITY                

Theo Arndt                     4.00    4    3    0    1    2    0

Cole  Reams                    2.33    7    6    5    3    1    0

Elliott Sinwell                0.67    1    0    0    1    1    0

WP–Keegan Tenge. SO–Wyatt Stochl, Noah Hopp, Mason  Cleveland (2), Colton Slinger, Theo Arndt, Elliott Sinwell, Cole  Reams. BB–Wyatt Stochl, Noah Hopp, Mason  Cleveland, Josh Fenske (2), Wyatt  Stevenson.