Eagle Grove baseball knocks off West Bend-Mallard in opener, 3-1

The Eagle Grove Eagles baseball team opened their 2023 season on the road on Monday night, as they traveled to Gilmore City to take on the Wolverines of West Bend-Mallard. The Eagles entered 2023 after a 14-11 campaign in 2022.

Opening Night would be a pitchers duel as both Eagle Grove and West Bend-Mallard threw their aces in Jake Jeske and Max Fehr. Jeske would pick up where he left off from his elite 2022 campaign, as he pitched the complete game with 13 strikeouts. The game was knotted at 0-0, until Cayden Schultz would score the first of his two runs on a passed ball to make it 1-0.

West Bend-Mallard would tie it on an RBI by Coltin Hoover to make it 1-1, but Schultz would again score on a passed ball in the 6th, before Mack Morgan added an insurance run in the 7th on a passed ball to give Eagle Grove a 3-1, opening night victory.

Cayden Schultz would have the best statistical night at the plate, as the senior went 2-4 with a double, 2 runs scored and 3 stolen bases. Jake Jeske went the full 7 innings with 13 strikeouts, and allowed just 5 hits and issued no walks.

Eagle Grove returns to action on Tuesday night, as they host former NCC rival Webster City at the Wright County Fairgrounds.