The Roland-Story Norsemen and South Hamilton Hawks baseball teams returned to action on Friday, as the two long-time rivals faced one another in Heart of Iowa Conference action at the Mike Penning Athletic Complex in Jewell. Roland-Story entered at 4-1, while South Hamilton entered at 0-1.
Roland-Story would use a monstrous 1st inning to put away any early doubt with the Norsemen scoring 12 runs on either RBI walks, hit by pitches, singles and a sac fly. Following a scoreless 2nd, the Norsemen put up 5 more runs in the 7th off a Sam Knoll 2-run RBI single, a Braden Wallace RBI double and a William Zamzow 2-run RBI single. Roland-Story would add 2 more runs in the 4th for a 19-0 victory.
Braden Wallace had a big day for the Norsemen, going 2-for-3 with a double and 3 RBI, while also throwing a 1-hitter, allowing no runs with 8 strikeouts. Liam Ealy had the lone South Hamilton hit on the day with a single, as Landon Sogard was charged with the loss on the mound, allowing 12 runs on 7 hits and striking out 1.
Roland-Story would turn around and take on the Class 4A perennial powerhouse Johnston Dragons on Saturday in Johnston, as the Dragons only managed 3 runs in the first 3 innings, but a 6-run 4th, followed by a run in the 5th ended the game in 5-innings with a 10-0 shutout victory for the Dragons.
Sam Knoll recorded the lone Roland-Story hit, while also drawing a walk. Tucker Hawkins was the losing pitcher of record, allowing 5 runs (2 earned) on 2 hits and striking out 2.
Roland-Story baseball returns to action on Monday, when they travel to Jefferson to take on the Greene County Rams in Heart of Iowa Conference action at Allensworth Field at 7:30 PM. South Hamilton baseball returns to action on Monday, when they travel to State Center to take on West Marshall in Heart of Iowa Conference action at Schilling Field at 7:30 PM.