SOLON — The distant sound of thunder led to two lightning delays in the first inning of game one of a varsity baseball doubleheader between the Solon Spartans and the West Delaware Hawks Thursday, June 17 at home. However, one the threat from above had passed safely on, play resumed with the Spartans dominating the Hawks 12-2 in the opener, and hanging on for a 7-6-nightcap victory.
Kinnick Pusteoska led Solon at the plate with four hits including a pair of doubles, a homerun, and five runs driven in. Ben Cusick and Cade Chapman put up two hits apiece with a double for Cusick while Jackson Ryan made the most of his one hit with a homer of his own, and three runs batted in. Will Noonan pitched five innings giving up two hits and one earned run with two walks and a pair of strikeouts. Drew Turner opened the game and pitched one lightning-delay filled inning giving up two hits and one earned run, walking two, and notching a big strikeout to end the Hawks’ half.
Blake Timmons, Brett White, Pusteoska, Gehrig Turner, Carson Shive, Cusick, and Ryan each put up one hit each in the nightcap with a double for White, and Pusteoska’s second dinger of the night – a solo effort. White and Shive drove in two runners each with a double for White. Brady Jeworrek pitched 5.1 innings giving up five hits and six earned runs, walked three, and struck out seven.
The wins were the latest in a week of success, which saw Solon shell South Tama 20-3 and 8-7 on Monday, June 14, and pound Fairfield 12-0 in a non-conference game on Wednesday, June 16. The Spartans ended the week with 13-3 and 12-6 wins over Independence at home on Friday, June 18.
Solon travels to Mount Vernon to face their WaMaC East rivals on Thursday, June 24 in a 5 p.m. doubleheader ahead of a Friday, June 25 non-conference visit from Bettendorf. The junior varsity Bulldogs and Spartans will take the diamond at 5 p.m. with the varsity game starting around 7 p.m. Clear Creek Amana visits for a WaMaC East vs. West rivalry doubleheader at 5 p.m. on Monday, June 28 while Iowa City Regina will visit for a non-conference game starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 30.
Solon 12, West Delaware 2
Hits — Kinnick Pusteoska 4, Ben Cusick 2, Cade Chapman 2, Brett White 1, Gehrig Turner 1, Jackson Ryan 1
Singles — Chapman 2, White 1, Pusteoska 1, Turner 1, Cusick 1
Doubles — Pusteoska 2, Cusick 1
Homerun — Pusteoska 1, Ryan 1
Runs —Cusick 3, Blake Timmons 2, Brady Jeworrek 2, Pusteoska 2, Chapman 1, Ryan 1, Michael Pipolo 1
RBI — Pusteoska 5, Ryan 3, White 2, Turner 1, Chapman 1
Pitching — Will Noonan 5.0 IP, 2 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts. Drew Turner 1.0 IP, 2 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 1 strikeout
Solon 7, West Delaware 6
Hits — Blake Timmons 1, Brett White 1, Kinnick Pusteoska 1, Gehrig Turner 1, Carson Shive 1, Ben Cusick 1, Jackson Ryan 1
Singles — Timmons 1, turner 1, Shive 1, Cusick 1, Ryan 1
Doubles — White 1
Homerun — Pusteoska 1
Runs — Timmons 2, Pusteoska 2, White 1, Brady Jeworrek 1, Michael Pipolo 1
RBI — White 2, Shive 2, Pusteoska 1, turner 1, Cusick 1
Pitching — Jeworrek 5.1 IP, 5 hits, 6 earned runs, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts. Austin Schwake 1.2 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
Drew Turner delivers a pitch in the first inning of game one of a varsity doubleheader Thursday, June 17 at home. Turner worked one inning giving up two hits and one earned run, and struck out one West Delaware Hawk in what became a 12-2 win for the Spartans.