NEVADA, Ia. — The Roland-Story Norsemen baseball team returned to action on Monday evening, as they made the short trip east to take on the Nevada Cubs in a Heart of Iowa Conference doubleheader at the SCORE Athletic Complex. Roland-Story entered at 19-1 and ranked #2 in Class 2A, while Nevada entered at 9-5.
Roland-Story wasted no time in pouncing on the Cubs, as the Norsemen put up 6 runs in the first off a Cael Faber RBI single, a Chance Georgius 3-run homer, a Braden Wallace RBI single and a Gavin Jeter RBI single. Nevada answered with an RBI double in the 1st, only to be rebuffed by 5 more runs in the 2nd off a Jake Knoll RBI double, an error, a Braden Wallace RBI single, a Braden Wallace steal of home and a wild pitch as the Norsemen took an 11-1 lead. The Norsemen then added 5 more runs in the 4th on a Colin Willis RBI single, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and a bases-clearing double by Jake Knoll, as the Norsemen sat down the Cubs in the bottom of the frame for a 16-1, 4-inning victory.
Colin Willis was the winning pitcher, going all 4 innings and allowing 1 run on 5 hits and striking out 11. Chance Georgius went 2-for-3 with a home run and 4 RBI, as Jake Knoll was 2-for-3 with a double and 4 RBI.
Game 2 was more competitive early, as the first 2 innings were scoreless, as Roland-Story broke the cap with 3 runs in the third on an Aiden Frey RBI single and a Jake Knoll 2-run RBI single to take a 3-0 lead. Nevada answered with a solo home run in the 3rd, as Roland-Story got a run back in the 4th on a Gavin Jeter RBI ground out to put the Norsemen up 4-1. Roland-Story drove in a run in the 5th on an error, with 3 runs in the 6th off 2 errors and a Chance Georgius 2-run home run to take a 9-1 lead. The 7th saw the wheels fall off for Nevada, as Roland-Story plated 8 runs in the inning to cap a 17-1 victory and a sweep of the Cubs.
Ryan Kepley picked up the win, pitching 4 innings and allowing 2 run on 2 hits and struck out 8. Jake Knoll went 2-for-5 with 3 RBI, while Chance Georgius went 2-for-5 with a home run and 2 RBI.
Roland-Story baseball returns to action on Wednesday, when they host the Perry Bluejays for a Heart of Iowa Conference doubleheader at Norsemen Field with Game 1 at 5:15 PM.