Tuesday April 16th Local Sports
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Teoscar Hernandez hit the go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth inning, giving the Toronto Blue Jays a badly needed offensive boost with three hits in a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins. After Hernandez saved starter Matt Shoemaker from his first loss with his new team, Joe Biagini pitched a perfect ninth for his first save. Jorge Polanco had three hits and raised his average to .420 for the Twins, who took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning on C.J. Cron’s three-run homer off Shoemaker.
MASON CITY – The NIACC baseball team split an Iowa Community College Athletic Conference doubleheader with No. 4 Southeastern on Monday at Roosevelt Field.
Southeastern won the first game 10-6 and NIACC took the nightcap 7-2. The Trojans won the four-game series, 3-1 by winning both games on Sunday.
In the first game, Southeastern scored five runs in the first inning and pushed its lead to 10-6 with two runs in its half of the seventh inning.
NIACC scored four runs in the third inning, including a solo home run from Ben Fitzgerald. Jake Hansen drove in two runs with a single and Carson Parker had an RBI single.
Fitzgerald was 3 for 4, including a double and home run, with two RBIs.
In the second game, NIACC jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings by scoring two runs in the first inning and three runs in the second frame. Will Sturek hit a two-run home run in the first inning and Fitzgerald drove in three runs with a double in the second inning.
NIACC’s Ryan Swanson gained the win by pitching seven innings and only allowing two runs in the third inning. Swanson struck out four, walked two and hit two.
NIACC returns to action Tuesday at home against Marshalltown in a nonconference contest starting at 3 p.m. at Roosevelt Field.
FORT DODGE – The NIACC women’s golf team placed second at the Iowa Central Invitational on Monday at the Fort Dodge Country Club.
NIACC shot a 739. Iowa Lakes was the team champion with a 702.
NIACC was led by Sydney Fullerton and Ashley Alert each with a 181. Also for the Lady Trojans, Jordyn Barragy with a 188 and Morgan Luecht with a 189.
The NIACC women open play at the four-round NJCAA Region XI tournament Friday and Saturday at Otter Creek in Ankeny.
FORT DODGE – The NIACC men’s golf team placed fifth at the Iowa Central Invitational on Monday at the Fort Dodge Country Club.
NIACC was fifth with a 616. Mount Mercy won the invitational with a 593. Southwestern was second with a 603.
NIACC was led by sophomore Ben Boerjan with a 147.
Also for the Trojans, Austin Eckenrod shot a 153, Jackson Hamlin shot a 157, Zach Martin shot a 161 and Matthew Heinemann shot an 82 on Monday.
CLEAR LAKE — Humboldt scored in extra time to beat Clear Lake 3-2 in boys soccer last night in Clear Lake. Conner Morey and Jacob Peterson each had goals in the second half to erase a 2-0 deficit, but the Wildcats were able to score in the second extra period. Clear Lake drops to 2-2 on the season and will host Waverly-Shell Rock tonight and Webster City on Thursday.
MASON CITY — Ames shut out Mason City 4-0 in boys soccer last night. Tristan Koopman had 12 saves in the loss for the Mohawks, who drop to 1-2 and will travel to Des Moines North on Friday.
IOWA CITY — Iowa strength coach Chris Doyle says spring is the time new faces show that work in the weight room translates to success on the field. The Hawkeyes are currently going through spring drills.
Doyle says the repetition during spring allows players to make a lot of progress.
Doyle says leadership in the program is a plus during spring.
Iowa concludes spring drills on April 26th
AMES — Datrone Young and Anthony Johnson are entering their sophomore seasons but they will be the leaders of a group of corners at Iowa State that are young. ISU must replace Brian Peavy and D’Andre Payne off of last year’s team that finished 8-5. Cyclone corners coach Matt Caponi.
Caponi says Young and Johnson have accepted their roles as leaders.
Young played in eight games last year before a shoulder injury cut short his season. He says film study is a big part of development.
Johnson played in 12 games a year ago and says that experience makes him ready to step into the starting lineup.
Johnson says the secondary may be young but it is talented.
Iowa State wraps up spring drills later this week.