On July 6th in Eldora, the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows baseball team had a Class 2A Substate 2 postseason contest against their Wright County rival from Eagle Grove. The Eagles came into the game boasting a five game winning streak and led by four runs after four innings, but the Cowboys stormed back in the final three frames and left the neutral site with a 6-5 victory.
Down 4-0 in the top of the 5th, pinch runner Huxley Lingenfelter scored the first Cowboy run after an errant throw from EG’s shortstop went into the outfield. First baseman Calvin Schlutenhoeffer hit an RBI single to cut the lead to two, and Ethan Hasty’s sac fly made it 4-3.
The Eagles would score another run in the bottom of the 5th, but Cowboy second baseman Landen Kakacek responded with an RBI single in the top of the 6th. A few batters later, Uli Frias followed it up with a game tying sac fly.
With two outs in the top of the 7th, Eagle Grove reliever Jake Jeske walked Carson Nesheim. With the game on the line, Huxley Lingenfelter calmly stepped into the batter’s box to pinch-hit. The freshman jacked a go ahead RBI double to deep left field and the Cowboy faithful in attendance rose to their feet in celebration.
Sophomore Brandon Stein made a heroic throw from right field to prevent an Eagle Grove scoring opportunity in the bottom of the 7th, and starting pitcher Carson Nesheim forced two pop ups to end the game and to keep CGD’s season alive.
Strikeout king Carson Nesheim pitched all seven innings for CGD. The senior fanned six and walked four on his way to his fifth win of the season.
