Newman walks way to TIC East win over Osage
MASON CITY — A grand total of 13 walks helped Class 1A top-ranked Mason City Newman top Osage, 6-2, on Monday.
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The Knights worked two straight walks to lead off the game against starter Max Gast, who then yielded a three-run homer to all-state catcher Max Burt on a 2-1 pitch which put the Green Devils in a 3-1 hole after the first inning.
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Newman feasts off of free bases, but the number of walks his team gave up came as a surprise to head coach Mike Henson.
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“That’s not good,” Henson said. “I didn’t realize that was that many. They’re a good, quality program and you can’t give them that help. You’ve got to make them earn it. Good squad.
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“But, I thought we had a good approach at the plate tonight. We were the right kind of aggressive. We were swinging at stuff in the zone. It’s all I can ask of these guys. We can build on this, if we play them like this, we’ll be in good shape.”
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Osage got on the scoreboard first when an error in centerfield allowed Tyler Oberfoell to score all the way from first, but it didn’t take long for the Knights to answer.
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The Green Devils were poised to cut the deficit to one in the third on a ball hit by Connor Tabbert, with what looked like a double down the left field line, but it was reversed and he eventually struck out.
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“It was a foul ball,” Henson said. “It was, by a foot or so. They made a right call. That ball hits the line, the game is totally different. That’s baseball.”
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Newman narrowly out-hit Osage, 7-5, but the walks caused the most damage with four of them resulting in runs.
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Osage got one of its runs on a bases-loaded walk to Tyler Oberfoell as Eli Brinkley walked six, but also struck out six.
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The week didn’t get much easier for the Green Devils with non-conference and cross-divisional games against Waukon and West Hancock as well as capping the week against St. Ansgar.
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“It’s going to be a big week,” Henson said. “When you get Newman and St. Ansgar in the same week, sprinkle in a good Central Springs team and a couple of tough non-conference games, but hey, we’re at that time of year when a lot of baseball is being played, which is great. It’s going to be fun.”
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Osage1001000-251
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Newman300210x-673
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Winning battery — Eli Brinkley, Max Burt (6) and Burt, Vinny Joslin (6). Losing battery — Max Gast, Keaton Muller (4), Carson Nasstrom (5) and Nolan Heard. Two or more hits — O (Spencer Krabbe); MCN (Nash Holmgaard 3). 2B — MCN (Holmgaard 2); HR — MCN (Burt). SB — None. RBI — O (Tyler Oberfoell); MCN (Burt 3, Thomas Manternach, Brinkley, Owen Casey).
