West Fork baseball team wins three of their last four

At the midway point of the 2021 summer campaign closes in, the West Fork baseball team is making some serious strides amidst an ultra competitive Top of Iowa Conference-East. Should their cards play just right, the Warhawks could potentially capture double-digit victories and challenge for the second place slot within a division spearheaded by powerhouse Newman Catholic and a sturdy St. Ansgar squad.

Within the game of baseball, that task is easier said than done.

The Warhawks picked up some positive momentum last week, starting with a narrow 3-2 victory over Osage on June 7 at Warhawk Field in Sheffield. West Fork then demolished North Butler in a 19-3 rout on June 9 in Allison, before hammering Clarksville with a 13-2 victory in Clarksville.

Even though West Fork built up a winning streak, Nashua-Plainfield put the brakes on the Warhawks’ current trend in an 8-3 setback held last Friday at Warhawk Field in Sheffield.

In the wake of the four-game slate, the Warhawks shifted to a 6-5 overall record with a 4-4 mark within the Top of Iowa Conference’s eastern division.

West Fork went back to work earlier this week, as the Warhawks took on South Hardin this past Monday at the South Hardin Athletic Complex in Eldora. Monday’s matchup was the first meeting between the two schools.

This past Tuesday, the Warhawks faced Rockford for a rematch, located in Rockford. In their first meeting of the season, held on May 26, the Warhawks edged the Warriors with a 1-0 victory.

The Warhawks returned home on Wednesday, welcoming in AGWSR for a nonleague matchup held at Warhawk Field in Sheffield, before heading over to Northwood on Friday to battle Northwood-Kensett. West Fork will aim to avenge a 7-5 extra inning setback, which took place on May 28.

Results from the Warhawks’ busy week will be posted in an upcoming edition of The Pioneer Enterprise/the Sheffield Press.

West Fork 3, Osage 2: In a tilt between two Top of Iowa-East clubs, the Warhawks built an early lead before persevering a late rally from the Green Devils on June 7 at Warhawk Field in Sheffield.

West Fork scored one run in the first, second and third innings, acquiring a 3-0 lead by the top of the fourth inning. Osage struck back with a single run in the fourth inning and another in the top of the fifth, but the Warhawks were able to hold on and claim their third straight victory.

Senior Kayden Ames made his lone hit worth it, smashing a triple to lead the Warhawks at the plate. Senior Levi Janssen attained two RBIs and a single, and senior Carter Meints logged a single against the Green Devils.

Senior Kellen Cameron tallied a single, and fanned nine Osage batters while toeing the rubber. Eighth grader Nolan Shreckengost also left with a single, while senior Jakob Washington collected two stolen bases.

West Fork 19, North Butler 3: Two days later, the Warhawks continued their win streak, routing the Bearcats in a Top of Iowa-East contest held on June 9 at the North Butler Summer Sports Complex in Allison.

Tied 3-3 heading into the second inning, West Fork plated two more runs to assume a 5-3 lead by the middle of the frame. The Warhawks’ sticks picked up once more in the top of the fourth inning, chalking up six runs in the frame’s duration.

Following a one run outing in the top of the fifth inning, the Warhawks finished things off by plating seven runs in the top of the sixth.

Ames was stellar against the Bearcats, dishing up a triple, two RBIs and a single. Meints picked up three RBIs on a lone single, while Nolan Shreckengost tallied two RBIs, a double and a single.

Junior Riley Peterson and sophomore Caysn Guerrero each came away with two stolen bases.

Senior Noah Maske contributed with two singles, followed by Washington’s single and stolen base. Junior Hayden Shreckengost’s also chipped in with one RBI and one stolen base.

Junior Nate Hubka was credited with the win on the mound, striking out six Bearcat batters, and Maske fanned two more batters while toeing the rubber.

West Fork 13, Clarksville 2: In the second game of their two-game road stretch, the Warhawks were still red hot, beating the Indians in a nonconference contest held last Thursday at the Clarksville Athletic Complex in Clarksville.

West Fork lit up the scoreboard early and often, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning before racking up seven runs in the top of the second frame. After plating one in the top of the third and bringing home three more runs in the top of the fourth inning, Clarksville responded with two runs of their own.

Due to the 11-run advantage, the Warhawks extended their winning streak to five straight.

Ames was the dynamo that made West Fork go against the Indians, picking up a triple, a double and three RBIs at bat while striking out seven Indian batters in 90 pitches.

Cameron punished Clarksville, as well, compiling a triple, three doubles and two RBIs. Meints collected two singles, while Hayden Shreckengost cranked out two RBIs on a double.

Janssen acquired a double and a single, and junior Deven Showalter was credited with an RBI. Nolan Shreckengost rounded things out with a stolen base.

Nashua-Plainfield 8, West Fork 3: Before heading into the weekend, the Warhawks saw their winning streak come to an end at the hands of the Huskies in a Top of Iowa-East tilt held last Friday at Warhawk Field in Sheffield.

Nashua-Plainfield jumped out of the gate with five runs in the top of the first, before plating another run in the top of the second inning. Halfway through the second frame, the Warhawks looked up a 6-0 deficit.

West Fork then got things going, scoring two runs within the frame to cut the Huskies’ lead to four heading into the third inning. Nashua-Plainfield countered with two more runs in the top of the fourth, stretching their lead to 8-2.

While the Warhawks scored one more run in the bottom of the sixth, the red and black was unable to complete their comeback, which ended their five-game winning streak.

Janssen led the way for West Fork, putting up one RBI, a single and a stolen base. Ames and Hubka each chipped in with a single and a stolen base, and Maske hauled in a single against the Huskies.

Washington came away with a stolen base to go along with his three strikeouts. Peterson struck out four Nashua-Plainfield batters in 66 pitches, despite taking the loss.