NEVADA — The Marshalltown baseball team amassed a late comeback but couldn’t catch Nevada in an 8-4 loss in Monday’s regular-season finale.

The Bobcats (6-26) scored first but fell behind 7-1 before scoring three times in the top of the sixth inning. A leadoff walk to John Schoenfelder was followed by a Tayven Dutton RBI single, and Larrs Schoenfelder was hit by a pitch one out later. Madden Martin doubled home another run, and Schoenfelder’s pinch-runner Cooper McLeod scored when Garrett Thede’s grounder was misplayed.

That’s as far as the Bobcats’ rally got against Nevada reliever Kole Beving. Starter Drake Hinson pitched five strong innings for the win, allowing one run on two hits and one hit batsman while striking out seven.

MHS senior Zander Stupp took the loss on the mound, though he allowed just two runs — one earned — on three hits and three walks over three innings.

Nevada (12-11) scored in five of its six at-bats to beat the Bobcats for the second year in a row. Marshalltown scored the opening run thanks to a leadoff double by Sam Greazel and Dutton’s RBI single one out later.

Marshalltown begins Class 4A Substate 7 play on the road Friday, facing No. 9 Ankeny Centennial at 7 p.m.

Spartans stop Trojans as young pitchers duel

STATE CENTER — The Grundy Center softball team broke a 3-all tie with two runs in the top of the seventh inning to defeat West Marshall 5-3 on Thursday night.

In a battle between eighth-grade pitchers, Grundy Center’s Macey Kiewiet was the winner over West Marshall’s Cailyn Brown. Kiewiet walked three and struck out nine, while Brown walked three and struck out six.

Grundy Center (17-10) got nine hits in the win while the host Trojans were held to three. Kiewiet went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while Camdyn Aronson was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Allison Koch added two hits and two runs, while Kyndra Dieken and Evelyn Geerdes both hit RBI singles.

Jillian Karsjen doubled in a run while Amelia Ranson doubled and scored for the Trojans (21-10). Alayna Frederick singled and scored, while Ashtyn Blood drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

West Marshall baseball sweeps aside Eagles

STATE CENTER — The West Marshall baseball team closed its regular-season schedule with a doubleheader sweep of Pella Christian on Thursday night at Schilling Field.

The Trojans took the opener 11-1 in five innings before securing a 6-3 victory in the nightcap to close the regular season with a 22-9 record. West Marshall opens the postseason Tuesday night at 5 p.m. against Iowa Falls-Alden or South Hardin at Mikkelson Park in New Hampton.

Hunter Polley pitched all five innings of the opener for the Trojans, allowing one unearned run on four hits and two walks while striking out five.

Holden Simms went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs, while Beckham DeSotel was 2-for-2 with two runs scored to lead the Trojan bats. Evan Siegert doubled, drove in two and scored twice, while Noah DeSotel hit a double, had two RBIs and scored once. Dawson Bear also doubled.

West Marshall jumped out to a 6-1 lead on the Eagles (8-22) after three innings in the second game and held on for the win. Beckham DeSotel allowed one run on four hits and two walks over three innings for the win, striking out two. Karver Christensen pitched four innings in relief.

Noah DeSotel was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Caden Pfantz went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored for the Trojans.

Comets claim Iowa Star South crown after comeback win

BEAMAN — The BCLUW baseball team wrapped up its Iowa Star Conference South Division title with a wild 13-12 victory over GMG on Wednesday night at Byron Rhodes Field.

GMG (7-15, 6-11) scored five times in the top of the seventh inning to take a 12-9 lead, but host BCLUW (11-6, 11-5) answered with four runs for the walk-off win. The Comets finished one game ahead of both Baxter and North Tama in the final Iowa Star South standings.

Only six of GMG’s runs came earned to BCLUW pitching thanks to six errors by the Comet defense. Owen Myers got the win for his two innings in relief of Daniel Zoske, who allowed six runs — one earned — on five hits and four total walks over five innings. He struck out five. Myers gave up six runs — five earned — on three hits and six total walks while striking out two in the final two frames.

Kevin Hill hit a grand slam for the Comets, who had just six hits but cashed in on 11 total walks issued by GMG pitching. Zoske had a double, two walks and two RBIs, while Will Feldpausch singled, walked three times, drove in two runs and scored once. Eathan Petermeier singled and scored three runs.

Colin Teske singled, scored twice and drove in two runs to lead the GMG offense. Rider Kupka and Easton Sash both singled and scored twice. Colton Hauser and Joaquin Williams both doubled. Williams took the loss in relief of Teske.

North Tama baseball can’t catch Lynx

TROY MILLS — Class 1A No. 5 North Linn broke open a close game with three runs in the fourth inning to defeat the North Tama baseball team, 8-4, in Wednesday’s non-conference contest.

Relief pitchers Jackson Nielsen and Cole Griffith didn’t allow a hit over the final five innings for North Linn (23-3), striking out five and walking none.

Maddux Rausch took the loss, allowing eight runs — only two earned — on three hits and four total walks over four innings, striking out one. Kayvin Morris pitched two shutout innings in relief, but the Redhawks (12-9) couldn’t rally offensively.

Chaz Hall was 3-for-4 with a run, while Gavin Rausch was 1-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Kayler Morris went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and Clayton Williams added a single and scored a run.