Senior Luke Boender hit singles in the sixth and seventh innings Monday, but none was bigger than his seventh inning shot that led North Mahaska to a 5-4 victory. North Mahaska scored a run in the bottom of the third inning and then Montezuma took the lead in the top of the fifth, 3-1. NM scored twice in the sixth to tie the game at 3-3. Monte responded with a run in the seventh to set up Boender’s heroics.
“We battled throughout the game,” said NM coach Kevin Kelderman. “Luke Boender came up with the big hit.”
It was not easy for the Warhawks as Luke Erselius struck out 11 Warhawks while walking just one through seven innings. Tyson Ferguson got on base to start the bottom of the seventh on an error. With one out Dan Van Mersbergen singled. Hunter Wernli also singled to drive in Ferguson to tie the game. Boender then drove a ball into right field and Van Mersbergen rolled in for the winning run.
Wernli earned the win tossing one inning. He gave up a run, one hit, two walks and a strikeout. Jaxon VanDerVeer worked the first six frames giving up three runs on one hit, five walks and seven strikeouts.
“Jaxon and Hunter kept us in the game throwing strikes,” said Kelderman. “We had that one inning but we just kind of stayed in it and Luke won it.”
Van Mersbergen and Boender led with two singles. Lucas Nunnikhoven. Jack Kelderman and Dylan Meland each singled.
Erselius led Monte with a double and Rett Pargeon singled for the two Brave hits.
North Mahaska, 3-2, will travel to Colfax-Mingo Tuesday then host Sigourney on Wednesday. Montezuma, 2-3, will host HLV Tuesday then travel to Belle Plaine Wednesday.