STORY CITY, Ia. — The Roland-Story Norsemen baseball team opened the 2026 season on Wednesday evening, as they hosted the Des Moines East Scarlets in non-conference action at Norsemen Field.
Game 1 of the doubleheader saw East strike first with an RBI single in the top of the first, before Roland-Story answered with 2 runs off a passed ball and a wild pitch to take a 2-1 lead. The Norsemen added on to their lead with a Cooper Triggs solo home run, followed by an Aiden Frey RBI single and a run on a passed ball as the Norsemen took a 5-1 lead. East would have a rally in the 4th with a 2-run RBI double and an RBI groundout to bring the score to 5-4, but that’s all the closer it would get, as Roland-Story scored 2 more runs in the 4th on a Colin Willis RBI Groundout and a Jake Knoll RBI single to put the Norsemen up for good for a 7-4 final.
Colin Willis was the winning pitcher, going 5.1 innings and allowing 1 run on 4 hits, walking 4 and striking out 8. Cooper Triggs was 1-for-1 with a home run and 2 walks, as Aiden Frey was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Game 2 saw the Norsemen pounce early, putting 4 runs in the bottom of the 1st of a Colin Willis RBI groundout, a bases-l0aded walk, and 2 steals of home to put Roland-Story ahead 4-0. Roland-Story then poured it on more in the 3rd with a Jake Knoll RBI single, a Gavin Jeter RBI single, a Chance Georgius RBI double and an Aiden Frey RBI double as the Norsemen led 8-0. East would get on the board with an A’Monte Johnson home run in the 4th, but Roland-Story answered in the 5th with an Aiden Frey 2-run home run to put the Norsemen up 10-1. Roland-Story would walk things off in the 6th as Gavin Jeter scored on a passed ball to force an 11-1, mercy-rule victory.
Ryan Kepley was the winning pitcher for Roland-Story, pitching 5 innings and allowing 1 run off 1 hit and striking out 2. Aiden Frey would lead the way going 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and 3 RBI, as Chance Georgius went 1-for-3 with an RBI double.
Roland-Story baseball returns to action on Friday, when they host (1A) #1 Martensdale-St. Marys in a non-conference doubleheader at Norsemen Field, with first pitch at 5 PM.