Solon finished the 2025 campaign at 19-14 overall while the Tigers improved to 15-19 and advanced to a Monday, July 14 semifinal game against Assumption Catholic (25-11). The Knights blew away the Washington Demons 18-0 in their first round game. In the upper half of the Substate No. 5 bracket Marion blanked Vinton-Shellsburg 11-0 while Mount Vernon shut out Central DeWitt 8-0 for a Marion (24-8) vs. Mount Vernon (18-12) semifinal match up Monday. The Substate final was set for Wednesday, July 16 with the winner advancing to the State 3A Tournament in Sioux City.
Solon 13 North Scott 6
The week opened with a non-conference game against North Scott in Eldridge Monday, July 7.
The Spartans plated three in the top of the first, four in the third, and six in the fifth while holding the Lancers to two runs in the first, fourth, and seventh.
Solon’s batters delivered 14 hits led by junior Dylan Gorham with three including one double and three RBIs. Sophomore Maddox Kelley, junior Carson Kidwell, and senior Jackson Link produced two hits each with three RBIs for Link and two for Kidwell. Freshman Luke Merrick, senior Ty Bell, sophomore Brady Wick, junior Hayden Detra, and junior Hunter Knorr had one hit each.
Freshman Tate Miller was awarded the win with three innings on the mound. Miller gave up four hits and two earned runs, walked one, and struck out one. Merrick pitched two innings giving up three hits and two earned runs with one walk and three strikeouts while Bell pitched two innings giving up two runs (one earned), walking one, and striking out one.
Liberty High 5 Solon 3
The regular season ended Tuesday, July 8 as the Mississippi Valley Conference (MVC) Mississippi Division’s Liberty High Lightning visited for a non-conference bout. The “Bolts” zapped the Spartans 5-3.
Nolan Seagren (a senior) and Hayden Detra had two hits each for the Spartans with a double for Seagren and two RBIs apiece. Carson Kidwell, Ty Bell, Jackson Link, Brady Wick, and Hunter Knorr had one hit each with an RBI for Dylan Gorham. Gorham was charged with the loss after two innings on the mound giving up three hits and three earned runs, walking three, and striking out one. Wick pitched two innings giving up two hits and one earned run with one strike out, and sophomore Luke Deike pitched two innings giving up no hits, walking one, and striking out one. Jackson Link and junior Tyler Greazel pitched one inning apiece with Link giving up no hits and no runs with one strike out and Greazel giving up two hits and one earned run.
Grinnell 5 Solon 2
WEST LIBERTY — The season ended for the varsity Spartans Saturday afternoon as the Grinnell Tigers preyed upon Solon for a 5-2 Class 3A Substate 5 first round victory.
The WaMaC East vs. WaMaC West contest started Friday afternoon in an ominous fashion with severe thunderstorms in the forecast prompting a three-hour earlier start.
Senior pitcher Jackson Link suffered the indignity of his first two batters cranking out solo homeruns – one to deep right field, the other to deep left field, as turbulent storm clouds drew ever closer. As the third Grinnell batter was taking his place in the batters box, the outdoor warning sirens sounded for a severe thunderstorm warning across the northern edge of Johnson County, and just north of Solon.
The game was initially suspended until the expiration of the warning (at 5:00 p.m.), however a downpour rendered the field unplayable and necessitating postponement until the next day. Hopes of an afternoon game in Solon were dashed Saturday morning as the field was still too wet and the contest moved east to West Liberty.
When play resumed the Spartans got one run back in the bottom of the first inning. The Tigers plated three runners in the top of the third while Solon scored one run in the fourth ahead of three scoreless innings.
Individual stats were not available as of deadline.