Earlham Echo

July 4, 2023

The Cardinals toppled Van Meter—the top-ranked team in Class 2A—9-3, in Earlham on June 27.

Beating a number 1 team is a big deal. Plus, it was Van Meter—the town just down the road and a perennial rival in everything. But most importantly, with the post-season starting the following Saturday, the victory should prove to the Cardinals themselves what they are capable of achieving.

“They came in as the number 1 ranked team in 2A,” said Ryan Stiles, “so that has to give us really good confidence. Knowing that we can beat anybody, day in and day out, if we play our best game. Like we did tonight.”

Stiles, starting his 3^rd game on the mound this season, faced off against Van Meter’s Jay Haley, who came in with a 6-0 record and an ERA of 2.18.

The Cards got to Haley with a run in the 1^st inning. Stiles got a 2-out single and Caleb Smith came in for him as a courtesy runner. Brody Morrison followed with a flyball double into left field to score Smith.

Stiles retired the first six Bulldog batters in a row, but Van Meter got going in the 3^rd with 2 bunt singles in a row. Stiles got the next two batters, but after a double steal, Ben Gilliland drove in both runners with a single to give Van Meter a 2-1 lead.

The Cardinal batters made good contact all night but could not score again until the 5^th. Blake Tiemeyer and Ty Forcht opened the inning with line drive singles. After they moved up a base, Klayton Wolken was retired on a ground ball, but Tiemeyer scored to tie the game. Stiles followed with a hard single into right field to score Forcht and the Cards led, 3-2.

Van Meter tied the game in the 6^th when Austin Baumhover hit a 1-out triple and Rhett Pleggenkule followed with an RBI single.

Haley did not come out to pitch the 6^th and the Cards greeted reliever Baumhover rudely. After Kallin Nicholson walked, Kaden Kasal bunted for a single. Zach Day singled into left field to load the bases. Jeret Petersen walked to push home the go-ahead run. One out later, Ty Forcht was hit by a pitch to score another run. After another out, Stiles stepped up and smashed a long fly ball into right center that nearly went out of the park. It bounced once and then over the fence for a ground rule double and 2 RBI, giving the Cards a 7-3 lead.

Stiles was well aware of the control problems Baumhover was having.

“I heard one of their coaches say, ‘Get on top of him right away,’” Stiles said. “That usually means your best pitch is probably your fastball, so I knew I was probably going to see a first-pitch fastball. I saw it and I hit it. I knew I hit it well, but I didn’t think it was going to be that far.”

But the Cards weren’t finished. Brody Morrison followed with a hard ground ball down the 3^rd baseline. He raced to 2^nd for a double and 2 RBI, and the Cards led, 9-3.

After his double, Stiles was replaced by Smith on the basepaths, so he had a little time to gather himself before going out to pitch the bottom of the 7^th.

“I came into the dugout, and I set myself down—took a drink of water,” he said. “I just mentally prepared myself to go back out there. I’m on a pitch count, so I wanted to go out there and get 3 outs right away. I had 95 and you can only have 110.”

Knowing he had to make quick work of the Van Meter batters to stay in the game, Stiles did just that—getting them 1-2-3—on a groundball, a strikeout, and a popup to the infield.

It was the first time the Cardinals have beaten the Bulldogs since 2015.

Stiles had 3 hits and 3 RBI and Morrison had 2 hits and 3 RBI. Forcht had 2 hits and 1 RBI. Stiles allowed just 5 hits and struck out 6 batters. The Cardinal defense did not make an error.