Entering Thursday night’s Heart of Iowa Activities Conference baseball game in Jewell vs. South Hamilton, Greene County was 0-7 overall and in the conference, and just 14 runs had been scored in those seven games. One of the losses was at home to SH just over two weeks ago by a 10-4 final. This time it was all Greene County by a 13-2 final in six innings by the 10-run rule as the Rams got in the win column for the first time this season.
It was a night firsts for the Rams with head coach Matt Paulsen getting his first head coaching victory, the first win this season for the team, and the first varsity pitching victory for sophomore Bryce Stalder. The four runs scored vs. SH the first time around had been the previous high for runs in a game by the Rams.
Stalder was Thursday’s starting pitcher for Greene County. In his third start of the season, the right-hander went all six innings and allowed just one earned run on three hits, two walks, and one hit batsman. Stalder struck the Hawks out three times.
Senior Nick Breon had missed all but a handful of innings this season due to a knee issue. He had a pinch hit single on Wednesday in the 2-1 home loss to Saydel (Des Moines). Against SH, Breon started at shortstop, hit third in the order, and knocked in four runs. He had a two-run single and a pair of SAC flies.
Stalder doubled for the only extra base hit for Greene County and he drove in a run. Brent Riley singled and had three RBI, while Brayden Roberts, Justin Stream, and Caden Lowmiller each had a base hit and one RBI. Joe Carey singled twice and he knocked in a run. Alex Roberts also singled.
The Rams trailed 1-0 after two innings, then scored three runs in the top of the third and led the rest of the way, scored four times in the fourth, once in the fifth, and five more in the sixth.
Greene County plays at home tonight at Allensworth Field vs. HOIAC leader Gilbert. The Tigers won the first meeting with the Rams 11-1 two weeks ago by the 10-run rule in Gilbert. Tonight’s game is the fourth this week for the Rams, the first time in the abbreviated season for four games in a five-day span.